CHITWAN MALHOTRA REINFORCES COVID-19 RESPONSE THROUGH DONATION OF AMBULANCES TO THE FIRST LADY OF ZIMBABWE.

Ms. Chitwan Malhotra Chairperson IHD Life and Executive Director United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) Health Partnership for Africa has donated a state-of-the-art ambulance to the First Lady Of Zimbabwe Mrs. Auxillia Mnangagwa who is also the Health Ambassador and Patron Angel of Hope Foundation as part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe.

As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, IHD Life understands that we live in times when COVID-19 response should not be impeded by the lack of health resources. It is for this reason that the organisation has expanded its support beyond civil society organizations by providing vital covid 19 medical supplies, affordable medicines, medical equipments and health infrastructure resources to the countries across the globe.

The humble donation is part of Chitwan Malhotra’s mission of enabling and assisting countries with urgent medical supplies and health infrastructure requirements through her capacity as the Chairperson of IHD Life. She has helped countries scale sustained action on healthcare delivery through unique cost-efficient marketplaces that leverage competitive advantages and innovative technologies, towards quality and affordable healthcare supplies. The vision of the organization focuses on improving availability and accessibility of medicines, medical supplies and healthcare delivery systems for all through coordinated, cost efficient and sustainable healthcare marketplace.

Chitwan Malhotra says, “This is IHD Life’s way of reminding society that all stakeholders need to work together to fight this pandemic,” The ambulance was presented to the First Lady of Zimbabwe along with medical consumables and personal protective equipment for the health workers.

These Ambulances have come at the right time and will be very useful for collecting test samples throughout the local government areas in the State. The ambulances will also prevent transport related health complications and making provisions of timely treatment during life threatening emergencies which is a priority for the health systems in Zimbabwe. It will safely transport patients requiring emergency medical care to the nearest hospitals. The ambulances will contribute to boosting the state’s testing capacity and bringing emergency care to the underserved communities.

Presenting the ambulances and medical consumables to the First Lady Of Zimbabwe Mrs Auxillia Mnangagwa, the IHD Life Chairperson Ms Chitwan Malhotra stated that the donation is in recognition of the efforts of the First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s promotion and provision of healthcare to the disadvantaged group of people particularly women, children and the elderly and in the rural as well areas of the country as due to the efforts of the government in combating the pandemic. “The First Lady through the Angel Of Hope foundation has championed the cause of promoting healthy lives and ensuring well-being for all and IHD Life has decided to support the First Lady’s efforts in scaling up their operations across the country to bring affordable emergency care to the people of Zimbabwe said Chitwan Malhotra.

IHD Life is also willing to collaborate with the government of Zimbabwe to work hands in glove to ensure improved provision of adequate and quality healthcare to the people of Zimbabwe.  

The First Lady Mrs Auxillia Mnangagwa has voiced her gratitude to IHD Life, Chitwan Malhotra and Dr Parveen Singh by highlighting the need for affordable emergency care at the time when the health systems in the country have been splintered by the Covid 19 pandemic. “The ambulance donation initiative will help to meet the growing demand of transportation of patients of emergency cases to the nearest hospital as early as possible and sustain the caring, professional service that the people of Zimbabwe count on and value. The donation will also facilitate contact tracing and evacuation of persons infected with the disease to treatment centres.” She ended her speech by offering the state’s willingness to partner with IHD Life in areas of Health Infrastructure development and setting up of hospitals and primary health clinics in the district and rural areas of the country.

IHD Life’s support to the health sectors in the African states is a reminder that we appreciate the sacrifices and efforts made by health service personnel working on the frontlines of COVID-19 response said Chitwan Malhotra. IHD Life went further to express its solidarity with the government’s commitment to safeguarding people of Zimbabwe from the covid 19 pandemic and recognizing that none of us can contend with the virus alone. Chitwan Malhotra remains committed to working with national, state, and local institutions to guarantee that they are working in safety, without unnecessary exposure to risk.