Unilever Provide Recourses to Fight Covid-19 to Parirenyatwa Hospital

Unilever has donated materials to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals to help fight the Covid-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe. The materials consist of bi-level positive airway pressure machines (BiPAP) which are state-of-the-art ventilator machines used to treat chronic conditions that affect breathing, 20 cases of each hygiene and sanitation product that include Domestos, Lifebuoy soap, Lifebuoy hand sanitisers and 500 personal protective equipment.

Parirenyatwa hospital is being used as one of the Covid-19 designated treatment Centers in Harare.

Unilever Zimbabwe Managing Director Tendayi Mashingaidze Said, “Covid-19 has grounded the whole world and the best way to fight this pandemic is for all stakeholders to pull resources together. As the world-leading manufacturer of hygiene products, we are throwing our weight behind global and national efforts to protect lives and livelihoods from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Through our brands that include Domestos and Lifebuoy, we aim to improve hygiene and sanitation at Parirenyatwa which often experience high human traffic. We felt compelled to play our part to assist Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, one of the Covid-19 designated treatment centres with the resources they need”

“The hygiene products that we donated, namely Domestos, Lifebuoy soap and sanitiser are known for their germ-killing properties.  Domestos is an all-rounder home thick bleach that kill germs.   While Domestos is popularly known as a toilet brand in Zimbabwe, it is a multipurpose product.”

“Lifebuoy, which is our antibacterial soap has a 99.9% gem killing effect. With Lifebuoy soap and hand sanitiser, we are particularly emphasizing hand washing and sanitisation on the five key occasions.”

“We donated ten ventilators and some personal protective equipment in readiness to the anticipated third wave, which we pray should not come, but should that happen, there is a need to stay prepared.”

Receiving the donation, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals Director of Finance and ICT, Mercy Sanzira said, “Parirenyatwa was designated as Covid-19 treatment in 2020, the hospital had to undergo a massive renovation which the government of Zimbabwe chipped in with $50 million. We set aside 425 beds for Covid-19 patients. The need for personal equipment was very key”

“As you know the World Health Organisation set aside some guidelines on how to handle Covid-19, and one of them was infection prevention and control. That’s where Unilever is coming in”

“It is very important that we have infection prevention and control protocols in place. This pandemic has caught the world over and that’s why it’s a pandemic, but when the government together with the private sector comes in to assist, we are so grateful. Parirenyatwa group of hospitals could not have gone through it alone. We are so thankful to the corporate world for chipping in at the right time. We have had a tough time financing PPE and all the resources required for the Covid-19 isolation and treatment centre. This donation has come in very handy. We have to be prepared for the possibility of the third wave, which we pray it won’t come. We are so grateful for this timeous donation,” Mrs Sanzira said.

On behalf of the hospital, we would like to thank Unilever for this timeous donation to the hospital as we prepare for a possible third wave, we should not be caught unaware, especially since we are the national isolation and treatment centre, it is very imperative for the hospital to be ready for any eventualities. We just hope that the third wave won’t come, but if it comes, we are ready, thanks to the Unilever gesture.

Last year, Unilever Global pledged to donate €100 million worth of products to support vulnerable communities through the Covid-19 pandemic. To deliver on this promise, Unilever partnered with several stakeholders, including NGOs and leveraged the company’s scale and supply chain to ensure products reached people in need across the globe.

“As a company, we encourage all citizens to adhere to the government and World Health Organization’s Covid-19 requirements, including but not limited to, regular handwashing, sanitization, wearing of face masks and physical distancing.”

Unilever Managing Director Tendayi Mashingaidze hands overa bi-level positive airway pressure machines (BiPAP) to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals Director of Finance and ICT, Mrs Mercy Sanzira. Unilever donated 10 BiPA machines, 20 cases of each hygiene and sanitation product that include Domestos, Lifebuoy soap, Lifebuoy hand sanitisers and 500 personal protective equipment.

Form Left Margaret Makondo, Unilever Occupational Health officer,  Unilever Managing Director, Tendayi Mashingaidze and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals Director of Finance and ICT, Mrs Mercy Sanzira during the donation.