The US$3 million Sakunda Holdings’ equipment and supplies meant to fight COVID-19 has arrived in Harare as preparations for the opening up of Arundel Hospital gathers momentum.
The arrival of the equipment is a timely boost as renovations at the hospital, which will be open to every Zimbabwean, have also been completed.
Part of the $US 3 million equipment will be donated to public hospitals fighting the pandemic.
The supplies, which include ventilators and rapid testing kits, came aboard Air Zimbabwe’s chartered plane this morning at the Harare international airport.
Sources close to the private initiative by Sakunda said all was set for the opening of Arundel Hospital popularly known as Rock Foundation Medical Centre.
“Sakunda Chartered an Air Zimbabwe plane to ferry a cargo of PPEs, Automatic spraying machines, ultrasound scan, ventilators and rapid testing kits from China worth about usd 3 million including the cost of the chartered plane,” said the source at the airport.
The cargo also included some materials meant for donation by Sakunda to public health centres.
Sakunda Holdings also freely gave space in the aircraft to Friends of China who were also bringing in their supplies to fight the virus.
“The cargo is 30 tonnes and a small part will be used at Arundel while most of the equipment will be donated to public hospitals. It must be noted that Sakunda also gave Friends of China free space to bring in their equipment,” the source explained.
Sakunda Holdings came up with a multi million dollar initiative to resuscitate and equip Arundel Clinic (Rock Foundation Medical Centre) as a way of complementing Government efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
The virus has so far claimed three people in Zimbabwe while 25 have tested positive to the pandemic.
President Mnangagwa has already put the country under lockdown for a further 14 days after the initial 21 days lapsed yesterday as a way of limiting the spread of the disease.
Zimbabwe has implemented raft of measures to curb and control the outbreak of the disease albeit under tough economic circumstances.
