Chinese firms donate towards cholera fight

THE Chamber of Chinese Enterprises in Zimbabwe (CCEZ) yesterday donated goods worth US$10 000 to City of Harare’s Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital, which is treating most of the Harare cholera patients in the latest outbreak, as corporates and individuals continue to assist in the fight against the bacterial disease.

Goods donated by CCEZ include blankets, medicines, disinfectants, food, waste bins and gumboots.

Speaking after the handover ceremony in Harare, CCEZ vice chair Shanel Liu said the gift was a symbol of solidarity and commitment to supporting one another in times of need.

“We know that this donation might be a drop in the ocean regarding the national cholera response requirements but it is also a step in our collective journey towards a healthier and brighter future,” she said.

CCEZ valued the collaboration and partnership in addressing the challenges faced by the community.

“We firmly believe that by working together, we can achieve remarkable outcomes and make a lasting impact on the lives of those in need,” said Ms Liu. “Our unwavering commitment to the welfare of members of the communities in which we operate has seen us being actively involved with social welfare in Zimbabwe and supporting various charity projects throughout the country.”

Ms Liu said she hoped the supplies would provide relief to the needy and contribute towards the ongoing efforts of health workers on the frontline.

Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital superintendent Dr Clemence Duri applauded CCEZ’s initiatives, saying the gift would go a long way in motivating staff and reaching out to communities in efforts to curb the spread of cholera.

“I am sure this initiative will go a long way to help patients that are coming from all over not only in Harare, but also patients from outside, from the provinces,” he said.

Ministry of Health and Child Care provincial human resources head Mr Gideon

Mapokotera thanked the Chinese enterprises.

“This donation is going to go a long way towards responding to the cholera outbreak. As you might be aware, we had an increase in the number of cholera cases, beginning from the end of December 2023 to early January, and our resources were a bit strained. We thank the Chinese firms for their help,” he said.

“Chitungwiza has had 1 670 suspected cholera cases and yesterday, 24 new cases were recorded. Harare has had 7 648 cases and yesterday, 58 new suspected cases were recorded.

“Since the current outbreak on October 24th, we have had about 1 004 cases that have passed through the Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital, and we have had less than 10 deaths and as of now numbers of cholera cases are going down.”

Mr Mapokotera hailed the Government for its support in fighting cholera.

“We have also seen the Government launch “Operation Chenesa Harare”, under which a lot of garbage has been collected,” he said.