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Business Reporter
THE country’s largest beverages manufacturer, Delta Corporation Limited, says the adverse impact of Covid-19 on the economy and human livelihood can be minimised if all stakeholders play ball and complement mitigation measures being put in place by Government.

As a response to President Mnangagwa’s appeal to business leaders, yesterday Delta Corporation made a cash donation of $5 million to the Government’s Covid-19 Disaster Fund.

The listed company also pledged a further $1 million worth of medical accessories, which will be channelled directly towards the identified immediate needs of frontline health care and law enforcement officers.

In his speech while handing over the donation to President Mnangagwa in Harare, Delta chairman, Mr Canaan Dube, said the magnitude of the Covid-19 crisis requires more resources and called upon other players in the private sector to join hands.

“The Delta board and management remain positive that the momentum set by your Government to combat the disease in the country will yield tangible results and that the adverse impact on human life and the economy can be minimised,” said Mr Dube.

“We are hopeful that the current lockdown and the ongoing initiatives to increase the testing of suspected cases will halt the spread of the pandemic. This will allow the country to revert to normal life in the shortest period of time.”

The Delta board chair said the Covid–19 pandemic has hit the country at a bad time, noting that Zimbabwe was already grappling with a hunger crisis due to persistent droughts.

“This pandemic has exacerbated the situation and put a further strain on limited resources. The Covid-19 pandemic presents an unprecedented crisis in modern history that will require the best of humanity to overcome,” he said.

Last Friday President Mnangagwa convened a meeting with business leaders at which he eloquently articulated the crisis that the country faced and launched an appeal for assistance.

At the meeting with business leaders, the President identified certain priority areas that included the purchase of test kits, thermal scanners, PPE, ventilators, isolation facilities together with water and sanitation.