(Last Updated on February 3, 2021 by GERALD NCUBE)
HARARE – Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has claimed that the country spent over US$300 million on the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Writing on his Twitter platform, Prof Ncube said the country had spent Z$25 billion [US$300 million using the current official exchange rate]on fighting the pandemic in 2020, adding that this money excluded the stimulus package for businesses.
“In 2020, Government of Zimbabwe spent Z$25 billion on the fight against COVID19, excluding the stimulus package. The resources covered different aspects such as risk allowances of frontline workers and others, upgrade of health facilities, drugs, PPE, lockdown enforcement,” said Ncube.
The Minister’s claims are particularly strange given that health workers around the country have raised concerns about the lack of Personal Protective Equipment[PPEs] while no serious upgrade has been noticed in the health facilities around the country.
Just last month, nurses from Sally Mugabe Hospital went on strike citing lack of PPEs and the death of one of their senior nurses due to Covid-19.
The government last year introduced US$75 allowances for all civil servants while health workers were promised another separate risk allowance which many said they had not received to date.
Former Minister of Health, Obadiah Moyo was also caught up in a massive corruption scandal worth US$60 million relating to the procurement of Covid-19 supplies.