Donations continue to pour in at Thorngrove Infectious Disease Hospital, Bulawayo’s isolation centre for Coronavirus after it received another consignment of goods from various companies on Tuesday.
Bulawayo so far recorded 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases including one death.
Thorngrove hospital received a variety of food hampers from Amavevane Football club; 100 litres of hand sanitisers and 30 litres of hydrogen peroxide from Solatek Motorspares and Digitech Advertising; a four-plate gas stove and cylinder from Value Gas plus hand sanitisers,
medical gloves and masks from Iam4ByoFighting COVID-19 initiative through Nedbank.
The donors all expressed the same sentiments that fighting COVID-19 was a collective responsibility and Thorngrove deserved the assistance as it was a dedicated centre to deal with the virus.
Amavevane Board member, Johnfat Sibanda said although the club was football orientated, it wanted to participate and do its part in helping the city overcome coronavirus.
He said its members, locally and abroad pooled resources together.
“This is our responsibility as residents and upon realising that the country’s economic situation was not helping the situation. We tasked our executive to identify what can be done for Thorngrove. We then approached officials at Thorngrove and Chief Nursing Officer, Thokozile Hove, drew up a list of what we had to buy. We bought the goods but realised we could still buy some more and it is what we did. I hope this donation will touch a lot of souls,” he said.
Value Gas’ Marketing and Sales Manager, Fiona Ndlovu, said it was everyone`s responsibility to assist the local authority`s efforts to fight the pandemic.
“We put our heads and decided to give Thorngrove hospital the four plate gas stove and cylinder. We will supply gas to the hospital until this situation ends, then we can re-engage and negotiate on the terms of continuing to supply gas,” she joked.
Shalom Ndebele from Solatek Motorspares, also representing Digitech Advertising said the city needed everyone`s input to fight the pandemic.
“We are born here and live here so Bulawayo becomes our responsibility. The city is ours. Let’s rise and see what we can do to fight this pandemic,” he said, urging others to do the same.
In accepting the donation, Bulawayo mayor, Councillor Solomon Mguni, said it was through multi stakeholder partnership that the city would go through this dark cloud brought about by the coronavirus.
“The organisations that are donating this afternoon are mindful of the need to continue to strengthen our health services with the provision of personal protective equipment as well as the urgency to make sure that the rehabilitation of Thorngrove hospital is completed. I thank you for your love for the people of Bulawayo. May you continue to prosper as your serve the city of Bulawayo,” he said.
