Chronicle Editor
Judith Phiri, Sunday News Reporter
ZIMBABWE’s private companies are in the process of gathering information on the number of workers and the size of their families before committing resources to procure Covid-19 vaccines for them as part of augmenting Government efforts in its fight against the pandemic.
The development comes after the Government through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development called on private companies to contribute to efforts to procure vaccines. Zimbabwe has a population of more than 14,6 million and Government has already set-in motion a programme to procure the vaccine and ensure that at least 60 percent of the population is vaccinated.
President Mnangagwa, in a State of the Nation address last week, said vaccination would be free and to every willing citizen, starting with frontline workers, elderly and people with underlying health conditions.
In a statement on Friday, Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said there have been engagements between the Government, private sector and well-wishing citizens in the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines.
“Following constructive engagements between the Government, Private Sector and well-wishing citizens, in the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines, Government welcomes and appreciates the offer by the private sector to complement Government’s resource commitment by contributing its own resources towards the effort.
It is in this context that Government is announcing this broader private sector initiative to the corporate sector, citizens and other well-wishers to contribute financially and or otherwise towards the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines,” said Prof Ncube.
The Minister emphasised that all vaccines purchased through the Government would be made available to Zimbabwean citizens free of charge.
“Government fully acknowledges and appreciates the support and cooperation so far received from the private sector and is committed to ensure that these partnerships are deepened for the National Good,” added Prof Ncube.
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) chief executive officer Ms Sekai Kuvarika told Sunday News yesterday that industry was mobilising resources and so far CIMAS Medical Aid Society has committed about 500 000 vaccine doses.
She said companies were working on their books to ascertain the number of employees and their families to reconcile the numbers in terms of how many vaccines they will need to acquire. Another CZI executive Mr Kuda Matare said as part of the Business Preparedness and Prevention and Response Initiative they have assisted Government in terms of procurement of Personal Protective Equipment, equipping and renovating hospitals.
“Our contribution as the private sector is towards giving assistance to the employees. We are in the process of putting logistics in place and we stand guided by the Ministry of Health and Child Care of Zimbabwe on which vaccines will be acceptable in the country.
So, we are in the process of reaching out to our members to find out who are able to participate and how much we are contributing, that will allow us to know how much we have in the reserves and how many vaccines will be procured.”
Mr Matare said they were working with organisations such as the Chamber of Mines, Employers’ Confederation of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, among others.
Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) Association president Mr Denford Mutashu said they have sent an appeal to the business community so that they can pool resources towards the National Disaster Fund.
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