Marondera, 17 May, 2017 ………The partnership of Coca-Cola Foundation, MedShare International and Celebration Health handed over two containers of assorted medical supplies and equipment to Mount Saint Mary’s and Marondera District Hospital, both of Mashonaland East, on May 17, 2017.

The containers included various medical supplies and equipment in two 40-foot containers weighing 12 tones. 

The donation will benefit and positively impact on the health and well-being of the province’s population dovetailing into the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s mission and vision of promoting the health and quality of life of the people of Zimbabwe.

Marondera Provincial Hospital is a referral hospital for the whole Mashonaland East Province. It serves a catchment of 1.4 million and is situated in the provincial capital Marondera, about 70 km east of Harare. 

The second beneficiary, Mount St Mary’s Hospital, is a mission hospital run by the Catholic Church. It is a district hospital which also serves as a referral hospital for over 40 clinics and small hospitals in the Hwedza District.

For many years, Celebration Health, Medshare and The Coca-Cola Foundation have contributed and availed valuable medical supplies, medicine and medical equipment to assist the disadvantaged members of society in different parts of Zimbabwe.

Since The Coca-Cola Foundation’s inception in 1984, as a charitable organization, it has become an international philanthropic arm of Coca-Cola that has given in cash and kind to enhance the sustainability of local communities worldwide. 

MedShare is humanitarian aid organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people, communities and our planet by sourcing and directly delivering  medical supplies and equipment to communities in need around the world. They help increase health system capacity and drive sustainability by providing equipment, training and service to healthcare organizations and medical professionals serving populations in need.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Coca-Cola Zimbabwe Country Manager, Noma Halimana, said: "Humanity has no boundaries; hence Coca-Cola Foundation fully understands the challenges and difficulties faced by Zimbabwean society’s health sector."

 Celebration Health Chairman, Dr Peter Mbizvo said that the practical cooperation between all the partners involved in the health sector is as important as it is coming at a crucial moment.

The Marondera Provincial Health Director, Dr. Simukai Zizhou, expressed his gratitude for the donation and also thanked the goodwill partners for their support to the country's health sector over the past years, and particularly to their kind donation to the two hospitals.  

"A friend in need is a friend indeed. This batch of medical supplies and equipment is just what the people need desperately to eradicate diseases," Mount Saint Mary’s head Father Tsambare said.

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About The Coca-Cola Foundation

The Coca-Cola Foundation is the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company. Since its inception in 1984, the Foundation has awarded more than $900 million in grants to support sustainable community initiatives around the world. For more information about The Coca-Cola Foundation, please visit www.coca-colacompany.com/our-company/the-coca-cola-foundation.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and more than 3,800 beverage choices. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands, 18 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options. Our billion-dollar brands include Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, DelValle, Georgia and Gold Peak. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, we are the No. 1 provider of both sparkling and still beverages. More than 1.9 billion servings of our beverages are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries each day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca‑Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

About Celebration Health

Celebration Health, a non-profit Christian organization was founded in 1996 by Pastor Tom Deuschle and registered as a Trust under Zimbabwean laws. Our vision is to transform lives and reform communities through sustainable healthcare solutions. We aim to meet people’s health needs – spirit, soul and body. Since its inception, Celebration Health has been involved in several initiatives providing medical humanitarian and development assistance to rural, peri-urban and urban communities with limited or no access to basic health care. Our values: Service; Integrity; Compassion; Innovation; Agility; Teamwork; Excellence

MedShare

MedShare is a humanitarian aid organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people, communities and our planet by sourcing and directly delivering surplus medical supplies and equipment to communities in need around the world.MedShare helps increase health system capacity and drives sustainability by providing biomedical equipment training and service to healthcare organizations and medical professionals serving populations in need.MedShare’s deliveries of vital medical supplies and equipment have decreased our nation’s carbon footprint and brought health, healing and the promise of better lives to 97 countries and countless patients.