Zenith Bank Plc has provided N23 billion funding support to help fight and stop the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.
The bank, in a statement said it noted several efforts of the Federal and State Governments and other stakeholders in combating the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
A breakdown of the funding support showed that N20 billion zero interest support fund will be given to select manufacturers to enable them make essential food items available to individuals and communities at subsidized rates.
The bank has also donated N1 billion to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) led Nigerian Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19.
Zenith Bank also set aside N2 billion for the procurement of hospital beds, ventilators, personal protective equipments for frontline medical personnel and other relevant hospital consumables to be distributed to the Nigeria Center For Disease Control (NCDC) and other Intensive Care Unit (ICU) centers being established by various state governments across the country.
The bank added that testing kits will also be procured to accelerate the setting up of modular testing centers and facilities.
Zenith Bank is also supporting reputable Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) across the country in promoting general public awareness, advocacy and training of health professionals.
The bank said the COVID-19 pandemic has led to public health crisis, attendant economic dislocation and is impacting on individuals, households and communities in the country.
“Accordingly, the bank has earmarked a N23 billion funding support to help the fight and halt the spread of the pandemic. The funds will be applied as follows the sum of N20 billion zero interest support fund to select manufacturers to enable them make essential food items available to individuals and communities at subsidized rates, N1 billion has been donated to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) led Nigerian Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19″.
Continuing, it said: “The bank has set aside N2 billion for the procurement of hospital beds, ventilators, personal protective equipments for frontline medical personnel and other relevant hospital consumables to be distributed to the Nigeria Center For Disease Control (NCDC) and other Intensive Care Unit (ICU) centers being established by various state governments across the country. Testing kits will also be procured to accelerate the setting up of modular testing centers and facilities.”
Zenith Bank continues to commend and appreciate the efforts of the Federal and State Governments, all well-meaning stakeholders, medical and health professionals risking their lives to fight this pandemic.
“Finally, we urge you to use our online services for your varied banking requirements as we continue to offer skeletal services in our in-branch operations with a view to promoting social distancing and in response to the partial restriction of movement announced by several state governments to prevent the spread of the virus,” it stated.
