Harare, October 1st 2020 – As part of its Covid-19 Emergency Response Programme (CERP), the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB) has donated locally-procured rapid diagnostic test kits and various types of personal protective equipment (PPE) to 5 Zimbabwean hospitals, in collaboration with the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI).
Donated supplies include: 84 Covid-19 rapid test kits, 20,000 latex examination gloves, 200 disposable overalls, 200 reusable medical gowns, 250 disposable gowns, 3,000 KN95 disposable masks. All supplies were procured locally, thereby supporting local business.
The supplies were handed over during a ceremony hosted by CZI on the 1st October 2020, by Admassu Tadesse, TDB President and Chief Executive to the Honourable Dr. Sekai Nzenza, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Zimbabwe.
Ms. Sekai Kuvarika, Chief Executive Officer of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries said, “CZI through its Covid-19 Business Prepared and Prevention Initiative joins the fight against this pandemic as it affects the very core of the country’s livelihoods and the economy which is business. Business has been mobilising and channelling resources to all the response facets including prevention efforts, hospital facilities, equipping frontline staff, responding to livelihoods distress, etc. We are very grateful to the TDB Group for their assistance which has seen us receive PPE and test kits worth over ZWD 18 million which we will be distributing to the hospitals that we are working with in the initiative. This will surely go a long way in the fight against Covid-19.”
“It is our responsibility as the region’s development finance institution to intervene in its Member States when crises strike” said Admassu Tadesse, TDB President and Chief Executive. “TDB is contributing to the efforts deployed in Zimbabwe as part of its corporate social responsibility, as it did in 2019 when Cyclone Idai hit, to complement the efforts of the Government and other key stakeholders such as CZI to curb the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, and to support the people in the Bank’s region.”
“In its contribution, TDB continues to live its values – the provision of test kits and PPE will make it possible to extend care to those who otherwise might not have access; and the commitment to procure locally allows us to support the livelihoods of the owners of local manufacturers and their employees”, said Gloria Mamba, TDB Coverage Executive for Southern Africa.
Mary Kamari, TDB Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations Executive commented that, “CERP drives TDB’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme’s vision to promote the social and economic wellbeing of its stakeholders in the region it serves, and in this case, through Zimbabwean hospitals who are at the centre of the fight against the pandemic.”
In addition to providing direct support in the form of medical supplies, PPE, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) solutions via CERP, TDB has deployed a comprehensive response plan to curtail the effects of the pandemic in Member States which include interventions for enterprises, sovereigns and financial institutions.
About TDB
Established in 1985, the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB) is a multilateral, treaty-based, investment-grade development finance institution, with 40 sovereign and institutional shareholders and assets of USD 6.7 bn. TDB serves 22 economies in its region, with the mandate to finance and foster trade, regional economic integration and sustainable development.
www.tdbgroup.org
About the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI)
The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) is Zimbabwe’s largest business membership organization with members from the Manufacturing as well as Trade, Transport, IT, Education and Professional Services, making up 26 sub-sectors of the Zimbabwean economy. These sub sectors make up the Confederate: A union of Industries. Also within our membership are listed companies and the majority of Multi-National Companies operating in Zimbabwe.
https://czi.co.zw/about-czi/
Media Contacts
Anne-Marie Iskandar, Senior Communications Officer
Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations
Trade and Development Bank
Anne-Marie.Iskandar@tdbgroup.org
Kudakwashe Matare
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries
kmatare@czi.co.zw
