The Japanese Government has provided high-quality life-saving equipment to the Government and will extend US$3.8 million towards the provision of medical and hospital equipment to support the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking during the signing in ceremony in Harare, Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said COVID-19 had negatively impacted on vulnerable people and the support from the Japanese Government will assist in resisting the effects of the pandemic.
“The pandemic has placed unprecedented pressure on economic activities, as well as, impacting negatively on the livelihoods of vulnerable people (women, youths, informal sector) in both urban and rural areas. The support from the Government of Japan will assist in assuring a healthy nation that can withstand the effects of the COVID -19 pandemic,” said Prof Ncube
He further indicated that on its part, the Government had come up with mitigatory interventions which include capacity building of health staff (training); Procurement of health and laboratory equipment including the consumables and drilling of boreholes among other interventions.
Japanese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Toshiyuki Iwado said with the donated equipment the standard of the country’s health delivery will be much higher.
“Through the new equipment, as well as the improved hospital management by means of the 5S-Kaizen-TQM project, I sincerely hope that the standard of health service delivery at the hospitals will be much higher for as many patients as possible and for many years to come.
“In this regard, it is essential for the equipment to be used and maintained with the utmost care, and I would like to strongly urge the Government of Zimbabwe to ensure this with the sound and effective functioning of the healthcare and medical systems,” said Ambassador Iwado.
The equipment provided to the Ministry of Health and Child Care will include items such as the latest Japanese-made digital X-ray systems, bedside monitors, defibrillators, electrocardiograms, blood gas analysers, laryngoscopes, and suction units, as well as hospital beds, emergency carts, autoclaves, wheelchairs and IV stands.
The equipment will be installed at four central and eight provincial hospitals in the country.
