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Mthuli Ncube Correspondent
As the deadly spread of Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc across the globe, countries are being forced to walk a delicate tight rope.

To keep the economy on full power would be to cause mass infections, and inevitably inflate the death toll.

To shut down the economy completely on the other hand, the Government can save lives, perhaps in the tens of thousands, but with an economic cost.

There is no easy answer.

Thankfully, we are not alone.

This is neither a Zimbabwe specific nor continental debate; it is a global conundrum.

Zimbabwe has chosen life. The 21-day lockdown is a tough, but necessary decision to save lives.

We must act now or bear the deadly consequences we are seeing in Italy, Spain, New York and elsewhere on our consciences forever.

However, while the shutdown is in place, we must not surrender the progress we have been making on the economic front. We have been marching towards a better economic horizon; reforming, restructuring and rebuilding.

Despite new, and unforeseen obstacles on this path, we must keep marching on.

During these turbulent and troubling times, we have acted to ensure that the means of production are protected. Treasury immediately availed ZWL$500 million to buttress the fight against the disease, with a further ZWL$50 million to the Premier Service Medical Aid Society.

While no country has unlimited resources, Zimbabwe has less than most. We must therefore re-prioritise our expenditure. This means spending what we have carefully and sensibly. Every action is taken with the acknowledgment that Treasury’s purse is the purse of each and every Zimbabwean, and it must be protected.

In light of this, we are redirecting capital expenditure allocations in the 2020 Budget towards health-related expenditures, most notably on water supply and sanitation programmes. Certain additional projects will of course be maintained, with roads, dam construction, irriga-tion and water projects all being considered priorities.

The health sector however is priority number one. Resources, both in terms of doctors and nurses, as well as vital equipment, must be ready to contend with this threat in real time.

Treasury has mobilised foreign currency (US$2 million) for urgent and immediate health imports, unfrozen 4 000 health sector posts, and created an addition 200 medical positions.

The 2 percent IMTT (Intermediated Money Transfer Tax) which has been ring-fenced for social protection and capital development pro-jects will now be focused on mitigating the effects of the current crisis. Crucially, in order to lead by example, and free up funding, all min-istries have been ordered to implement immediate cost cutting. It is incumbent upon Government to show the people of Zimbabwe that we are truly in this together.

Saving lives from COVID-19, however, must never be at the expense of protecting vulnerable Zimbabweans.

Treasury has carefully set aside resources to cover one million vulnerable households under a new Cash Transfer Programme, with pay-ment and distribution to begin immediately.

ZWL$ 600 million will be immediately available (200 million per month for the next three months), while we also examine joint public-private sector initiatives to expand this program, both in terms of the sums and the recipients.

In the meantime, we are working closely with the Social Welfare Department to ensure that those most in need are protected.

The business community too must be looked after during these times.

We are assessing international best practices in terms of insurance for government employees, while for businesses we will also expedite all requests for tax and VAT refunds and deferrals.

Extensions will be allowed — interest free — in order to ensure that our private sector’s cash flow is protected to the best of our ability.

Cash is the lifeblood of an economy of entrepreneurs and SMEs, and Government will do all in its power to keep this flowing.

Tax incentives are being implemented immediately to incentivise the production and importation of essential drugs, medical supplies and equipment. There will also be no duty or tax on any goods and services related to testing, protection, sterilisation, and other health related items.

Furthermore, we will give our full support to local industry to support the local production of food stuffs and pharmaceuticals in an economically efficient and timely manner.

It is vital that we continue in the path of President Mnangagwa’s global engagement, and reach out to our international partners during these times.

We are especially grateful to Mr  Jack Ma who has already delivered 20 000 test kits, 100 000 masks and 1 000 protective suits.

The Chinese government has been quick to contribute to the upgrading of Wilkins Hospital and the Global Fund has pledged US$25 mil-lion to the country and the cause.

Support is coming from East and West, with the US pledging US$470 000 to prepare our laboratories for life-saving mass testing.

The UK has pledged £1.7 million, in addition to the protective equipment donated to Wilkins Hospital.

All of this, combined with the imminent support of the World Bank and the EU, are emblematic of the spirit of togetherness the world needs; a true ray of positive light emanating out of the domineering global gloom.

Some of the world’s most advanced and developed countries have been caught napping.

Zimbabwe must be awake and alert.

We neither have the luxury nor the resources to take chances or half measures. We must protect our vulnerable.

We must protect our economy. And we must act now.