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Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
Midlands Province requires at least US$12 million to be fully prepared to fight Covid-19, an official has said.

To date, the province has received more than ZWL$4 million from Government for the same cause.

Speaking during the briefing of Members of Parliament in Midlands, Head of subcommittee on resource mobilisation Mr Kusheni Mutisi said the province was in the process of mobilising resources to ensure it is fully prepared to fight Covid 19.

Mr Mutisi said some mining companies have since come on board to assist in resourcing some of the strategic institutions in the province.

“As a province we need US$12 million to fully equip our healthcare facilities, our health workers and rapid response teams as well as food supply. We are in the process of mobilising resources for our province. At the moment we have Unki Mine which has helped equip Gweru Provincial Hospital. We also have Mimosa Mining Company which is also resourcing our Gweru Infectious Diseases Hospital. This is our isolation hospital in Ascot,” he said.

Midlands Province Medical Director Dr Simon Nyadundu said the province has received more than ZWL$4 million from Government to assist in the fight against Covid-19.

“In total as a province we received ZWL$4,15 million from Government to assist in the fight against Coronavirus. Kwekwe City Council received ZWL$1 million, the task force received ZWL$ 1,75 million and Gweru City Council received ZWL$ 1,4 million.

“So, this money will help us upgrade some of our isolation facilities to ensure that we are fully prepared for the pandemic,” he said.

Dr Nyadundu said the local authorities should put the funds to good use.

“They will come up with a proposal on how they intend to use the money and it will be approved by the Provincial Taskforce,” he said.

Dr Nyadundu said the province remains vigilant despite the fact that it is yet to record a Covid-19 case. “As a country we have 14 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and as a province we sent 13 specimens for testing to Harare and they all came out negative. There are 426 people who were under monitoring in the province and 422 of them have since completed the 21 days without showing symptoms while four of them showed some mild symptoms but they tested negative to the  pandemic,” he said.

Dr Nyadundu said the province has received chemicals to disinfect public places.

“We have already started doing so in Gweru and Kwekwe,” he said.