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Charity Ruzvidzo Business Reporter
THE business community has joined hands with the government in the fight against the deadly Ebola virus amid concerns the fear and anxiety around its outbreak in West Africa was inducing instability on local business.

With nearly 10,000 people killed by the disease in West Africa so far, Zimbabwe has not been spared from the stigma which has seen investors cancelling trips and meetings and tourist arrivals affected.

The business community converged in Bulawayo yesterday where they discussed the impact of the disease and strategies to curb its spread into the country.

Zimbabwe has not recorded any Ebola case so far.

Econet Wireless chief executive officer Douglas Mboweni implored the business community to unite and pool together resources to prevent the potential spread of Ebola into the country.

“The Ebola outbreak has caused negative social and economic impact on Africa as a whole. In Zimbabwe tourists have cancelled their trips. This has led to loss of a lot of money and it’s also driving away potential investors who feel they can’t expose themselves to the dangers the disease poses,” he said.

Mboweni also said intra-Africa trade was now hampered with the prevailing stigma over Ebola, which has seen some countries mulling closure of ports of entry.

“Borders have been closed following the stigma that comes along with the disease. This is affecting business especially in affected nations because they’re forced to provide for themselves without assistance from outside. That’s not good for business. As businesses we need to ensure we don’t reach such stages,” he said.

The Econet boss pledged his company’s commitment towards efforts to mitigate the spread of Ebola and response preparedness in the event of an outbreak.

“Econet is willing to work together with the government in mobilising necessary resources in preparation for any outbreak. However, we can’t do this on our own. This calls for collective approach. We need assistance from our partners in business,” he added.

Matabeleland Chamber of Industries president Busisa Moyo weighed in saying failure to prevent the disease could affect industry, as the disease has the potential to kill large numbers of people.

“If ever we’re to have an outbreak of the virus in the country business will be tremendously disturbed. Our workers in the retail shops and companies may be affected and judging from the affected countries the virus has the potential to kill a lot of people,” he said.

“Production will be affected, increasing economic instability. We should, through putting prevention measures seek protection for our future business.”

The Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Paul Chimedza commended commitment and support from the private sector to his ministry.

“The corporate sector‘s response towards preparing against Ebola has been amazing. Mimosa and Econet assisted us with resources to detect the disease at our border posts,” he said.

He said the country lost close to $6 million worth of business due to panic induced by false reports and alarmist messages over suspected cases of Ebola.

Dr Portia Manangazira, who heads the Epidemiology and Disease Control Directorate in the Ministry of Health and Child Care appealed to the business sector to assist in raising the necessary funds.

“No case of Ebola has been recorded yet but we want to be fully prepared. We’ve a budget of $11,572, 952, which we need in preparation to deal with the disease,” she said.

The breakdown of the budget covers different stages of a response and preparedness plan.

The plan requires in part $1,1 million for case management in the event of an outbreak, $640,000 for health promotions and media messages around the disease, $646,000 for infection and control programmes, $4 million for laboratory upgrading and equipment, $3,1 million for logistics and $34,000 for coordination works.

Presently Zimbabwe has no capacity to do Ebola tests and tests can be done in South Africa although screening activities are being conducted locally at the ports of entry.

Ebola is a contagious disease that spreads through direct contact with blood or body fluids from infected people or animals.