Unki Mine invest US$3m in fight against Covid-19

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
SHURUGWI-based platinum miner, Unki Mine has to date invested US$3 million in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

Unki drilled 19 boreholes in Shurugwi, introduced a feeding programme for the vulnerable people in Gweru and Shurugwi; and also invested in state-of-the-art ventilators and ancillary equipment worth R10 million installed at Gweru Provincial Hospital, making it a world class hospital meeting the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.

Unki Mine board chairman, Mr James Maposa said despite all the challenges they were facing as the mining sector, Covid-19 is a national disaster which calls for every sector to assist the Government mitigate against its spread.

Mr Maposa said the GPH project forms a crucial part of Unki Mines initiative to limit the impact of Covid-19 on its operations and host communities adding that it speaks directly to the Anglo-American corporation motto to reimagine mining, to promote people’s lives.

“To date we have invested a total of US$3million to Covid-19 measures. It speaks clearly to the response to the President of Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa who called for the mining sector to reach deep into their pockets in order to fight this Covid-19. We appeal to other mining house that despite all the challenges we are facing, this is a national cause and we would like you to respond to the cause and I think the mining houses responded overwhelmingly,” he said.

Mr Maposa said the surge in Covid-19 positive cases in the country is worrying as it puts pressure on the operation of mining houses.

This surge, he said, has prompted Unki Mines to develop comprehensive plans and close corporation with our stakeholders to provide support for our employees and contractors and also the community where assistance is required.

“We continue to see an increase in the number of people who are contracting Covid-19 in our operations and it is worth reflecting on the pressure we have put in place over the past five months as Anglo Platinum, health and safety of our employees and contractors is of paramount importance,” said Mr Maposa.

He said the donation to GPH includes 10 ICU beds ICU, ventilators, oxygen equipment, bedding, extraction machines, thermometers and PPEs for medical staff.

“This is not first donation to GPH, our previous efforts include the construction and equipping of the casual ward, refurbishment of the laundry room and fixing of equipment, refurbishing of children’s wards and donation of bedding material and entertainment facilities, donation of food parcels which is the programme we have been running over the past two months to the disadvantaged members of our community and the disabled. We also assisted Shurugwi District Hospital with PPEs, medical equipment, among other things,” said Mr Maposa.

GPH medical superintendent Dr Fabian Mashingaidze said they are hoping that the hospital is given a Central Hospital status and improve specialised health services to the people.

“In partnership with the Midlands State University (MSU) we are a training school and we have over 20 specialist doctors. We hope that we will be given the Central Hospital status and improve service delivery,” he said.

Chief director for curative services in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Maxwell Mareza Hove said Government has released over $14 million to the Midlands province for the rehabilitation of wards in hospitals so that they are able to admit Covid-19 cases.

When the rehabilitation works are complete, he said the province will have Covid-19 isolation wings in Kwekwe, Gokwe, Gweru and Zvishavane making health delivery system reachable to the masses.

“The Central Government has released $4,5 million to Gweru Provincial Hospital for the conversion of the male ward into this facility we witnessed, $4 million to Gweru City Council for the refurbishment of the Gweru Isolation Disease Hospital, $3 million to Kwekwe Hospital for the conversion of a male ward into a high dependency ward, another $3 million to Gokwe South Hospital for refurbishment of a male ward and convert it into a Covid-19 ward,” said Dr Hove.