Covid-19: Sh6bn worth of donations handed to Premier

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TBL Plc managing director Philip Redman said his company will donate some 681 five-litre containers of sanitizers to the Ministry of Health for use in health facilities across the country. The company will also produce and donate 6,180 units of sanitisers in the amounts of 500mls each to its customers and communities across the country.

Dar es Salaam. Business community including Twiga Minerals Corp., Taifa Gas, Huawei and Puma Energy on Thursday April 8 donated a total of Sh6.226 billion to boost government efforts in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

The named institutions handed the donations to Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa in Dodoma yesterday.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, which was availed to The Citizen yesterday, said Mr Aziz will release Sh1 billion, while Twiga Minerals – which is a joint venture between Barrick Gold and the Tanzania government – will also avail Sh4 billion shillings in aid.

Puma Energy donated fuel worth Sh100 million through 100 Puma fuel cards--these can be used to fuel ambulances and cars transporting medications and doctors to different locations across the country in Covid-19 related matters.

Meanwhile, TBL Plc said in a statement yesterday that it has partnered with Diversey East and Central Africa in a new venture that would see them producing alcohol-based sanitisers for health facilities.

TBL Plc managing director Philip Redman said his company will donate some 681 five-litre containers of sanitizers to the Ministry of Health for use in health facilities across the country. The company will also produce and donate 6,180 units of sanitisers in the amounts of 500mls each to its customers and communities across the country.

Taifa Gas will avail Sh100 million while Huawei Technologies will avail to the government technological equipment to facilitate video conferencing.

The equipment include Cloudlink cameras, Cloudlink microphones, Cloudlink TV terminals, Cloudlink platforms and Thermal Imaging Temperature Measuring System all valued at a total of Sh940 million.

Meanwhile, civil society organizations have donated a total of Sh79 million.

Mr Majaliwa said the donations would greatly help the government in its efforts to contain spread of Covid-19.

The government is mobilising donations for the fight on Covid-19 and has opened a special account: National Relief Fund Electronic, with account number: 9921159801.

Donations can be handed to the PMO or the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children.

The Premier, particularly advised Dar es Salaam residents to abide by medics advice on how to avoid contracting Covid-19, saying the region was leading in terms of confirmed cases.

Until yesterday, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Tanzania rose to 25 after one more person tested positive.

A statement signed by Health minister Ummy Mwalimu showed yesterday. The new case involves a 51-year old Tanzanian man who resides in Dar es Salaam. She said authorities were tracking all the contacts of the patient.

Since the country announced its first coronavirus case on March 16, 2020, said Ms Mwalimu, a total of 789 people who had come into contact with the patients were being closely monitored.

A total of 2,181 travellers had been quarantined between March 24 and April 8, 2020 whereby out of the number, some 324 have completed their mandatory 14-day self isolation and allowed to proceed with their other activities.

Out of the 25 cases, five have been treated and allowed to unite with their families while one died.

Meanwhile, the government yesterday received the first batch of medical supplies worth $64,000 (about Sh147.2 million) from the embassy of China.

The supplies are aimed at helping the country enhance its capacity to fight Covid-19 pandemic.

The consignment, handed over to the Ministry of Health, included 100,000 surgical masks; 1,000 protective gear; and 150 forehead thermometers.

Part of the consignment, said Ms Mwalimu, would be used by health workers in isolation centres.

She called on Tanzanians to remain calm and assured that testing equipment were available.