• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Updated: UBA donates N5bn to fight Coronavirus in Africa, Lagos gets N1bn

Updated: UBA donates N5bn to fight Coronavirus in Africa, Lagos gets N1bn

Tier-1 lender, United Bank for Africa through its UBA Foundation announced the donation of $14m to provide the much needed support to Nigeria and other 19 African countries in the fight against the deadly coronavirus scourge.

Tony Elumelu, chairman UBA Group said the global epidermic must bring citizens , governments, and business leaders together and quickly.
“As we see a rapidly increasing number of cases of the coronavirus in Nigeria and Africa, the private sector has to work hand in hand with various with various government in stemming the spread of the global pandemic,” he said.

 

The donation, according to the management of the bank, will provide significant and much needed support to Nigeria and 19 other African countries, by supplying relief materials, critical care facilities, and financial support to Governments.
The support programme will be allocated as follows:
N1 billion (USD2.8 million) to Lagos State Government in Nigeria
N500 million (USD1.4 million) to Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja
N1 billion (USD2.8 million) to the remaining 35 states in Nigeria
N1.5 billion (USD4.2 million) to UBA’s presence countries in Africa
N1 billion (USD2.8 million) for Medical Centres with equipment and supplies
Free Telemedicine call centre facility
The pan-African bank will fund a medical centre immediately in Lagos, Nigeria, with beds for isolation and ICU facilities, managed and operated in partnership with Heirs Holdings’ healthcare subsidiary, Avon Medical Hospital.
UBA in addition is providing a free telemedicine platform, that is physician-led, to provide direct access to medical advice to citizens, in compliance with social distancing requirements.
UBA group chairman Tony O. Elumelu, stated ‘This is a time when we must all play our part.  This global pandemic must bring citizens, governments and business leaders together – and quickly. As we see a rapidly increasing number of cases of the coronavirus in Nigeria and Africa, the private sector has to work hand in hand with various Governments, in stemming the spread of the global pandemic.
We commend the efforts of governments and we are keen to partner and contribute our resources to the collective effort, that will ensure the response to the pandemic is swift and effective’.
Operating in 20 African countries and globally in the United Kingdom, the United States and France, the United Bank for Africa has a strong record of supporting its communities, through challenging times.

Joshua Bassey and OLUFIKAYO OWOEYE