Yesterday, Old Mutual Zimbabwe and its local subsidiaries, including Cabs Zimbabwe, handed over a consignment of personal protective equipment worth 250 000 Rand to St. Anne’s Hospital.
The donation is part of Old Mutual’s pledge to contribute towards the fight against COVID-19 in Zimbabwe. The consignment donated included 34 200 gloves, 16 000 masks, 5 956 caps, 2 880 goggles, and 276 protective overalls. The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to be with us for some time, and Old Mutual acknowledges that the nation’s health workers are the most exposed to the virus. As such, they need as much assistance as possible to help them protect themselves while they fight to save our loved ones who have fallen ill.
The donation of personal protective equipment to St Anne’s Hospital follows previous donations by Old Mutual to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, Mpilo Hospital and Mutare Provincial Hospital, equipping frontline health workers in this long fight against COVID-19. Old Mutual Zimbabwe is also supporting the local manufacturing of hand sanitiser and masks, helping to ensure sufficient supply that meets world-class health standards. As part of this effort, Old Mutual is boosting capacity within tertiary institutions.
As the nation’s leading financial services provider, Old Mutual has rolled out a range of initiatives to fight COVID-19 in Zimbabwe, worth over $2.2 billion. Earlier this year, Old Mutual committed to providing free life insurance for medical professionals to support medical staff who are on the front lines of fighting the pandemic. Through these corporate social initiatives, Old Mutual Zimbabwe seeks to honour and support those that are making great strides to eradicate the virus and protect the people of Zimbabwe.
Isaiah Mashinya, COO of Old Mutual Zimbabwe, shared the importance of this approach. “Our frontline healthcare workers go through devastating experiences as they work during a pandemic. As Old Mutual, our focus has been on ensuring that they are taken care of. We must make sure that we help to eliminate and minimise the impact on healthcare workers and the dangers they face, as much as possible,” he shared. All donations of personal protective equipment made by in conjunction with the Businesses Fighting COVID Trust, an initiative that is coordinating the private sector response to the pandemic and encouraging corporates to play their part to secure the health of the nation.
Sister Ellen Maseve shared St. Anne’s Hospital’s gratitude for Old Mutual’s donation. “The donation will go a long way in empowering and encouraging our healthcare providers. With Old Mutual’s help, they will be able to attend to others feeling protected and cared for,” she said. St Anne’s Hospital became an infectious diseases hospital with the support of corporate partners, and the institution has now fulfilled all regulatory requirements.
“The journey has not been easy for us. When you travel alone the journey is long and tiresome, but when we accompany each other we give each other strength to keep working towards the goal. Our strength is not in individuals but in our togetherness,” Sister Ellen shared.
Responsible business is a core principle for Old Mutual, allowing the business to be a certain friend in uncertain times, within the communities and lives of Zimbabweans. Through practical interventions that address health workers’ most pressing needs, Old Mutual is empowering institutions to address the long-term impact of the spread of COVID-19 and is working to ensure the success of the fight against COVID-19 in Zimbabwe. This pandemic will require a significant amount of resources in order to fight it efficiently and effectively. It is therefore critical that corporates to come together, input resources, and support our fellow Zimbabweans who are selflessly risking their lives daily for the health and safety of our communities.