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Business Reporter
The National Social Security Authority (NSSA) has  won a top Covid-19 award in recognition of its corporate social responsibility activities in Manicaland.

The award was conferred by the CSR Network at a function held in Mutare on October 16.

CSR Network executive director Willard Razawo said NSSA demonstrated empathy, leadership and responsibility through its interventions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic that was declared a national disaster by President Mnangagwa in March.

“NSSA stood out and doubled its efforts to assist vulnerable members of the community at a time when assistance was really needed. The evidence of what NSSA has done for the vulnerable in Manicaland is there to see,” said Razawo.

Among the initiatives that were singled out by the CSR Network was the refurbishment of a ventilator at Mutare Provincial Hospital that was sponsored by NSSA, as well as the donation of food hampers to grossly disabled pensioners under its Accident Prevention and Workers Compensation Scheme.

NSSA’s marketing and communications executive Tendai Mutseyekwa said the authority felt honoured to be conferred with such an award.

“NSSA is naturally inclined the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups by virtue of our function, that of providing social protection to our members. For it, it is not just about donating but about helping instil dignity and a sense of pride among our customers and stakeholders, in line with one of our corporate values of Hunhu/Ubuntu,” said Mutseyekwa.

Since March, NSSA has been proactive in complementing Government’s efforts to manage the Covid-19 pandemic by availing two of its facilities, the Beitbridge Hotel and Ekusileni Hospital in Bulawayo, for use as a quarantine centre and a treatment centre, respectively.

NSSA recently invested a further $50 million towards capacitating Ekusileni Hospital.

Post coronavirus, the hospital will be converted to a training centre for specialist doctors in collaboration with the National University of Science and Technology.