United Bank for Africa,UBA, Plc on Thursday announced a donation of over N5 billion (USD14 million), through the UBA Foundation, to catalyse a comprehensive pan-African response to the fight against the COVID-19 global pandemic.
The UBA donation, which 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, will be allocated as follows: 1 billion (USD2.8 million) to Lagos State government in Nigeria; N500 million (USD1.4 million) to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and N1 billion (USD2.8 million) to the remaining 35 states of Nigeria.
Other beneficiaries include: UBA’s host countries in Africa, N1.5 billion (USD4.2 million); and medical centres with equipment and supplies and free tele-medicine call centre facility, 1 billion (USD2.8 million).
Also to be funded immediately by the pan-African bank is a medical centre in Lagos, Nigeria, with beds for isolation and ICU facilities, managed and operated in partnership with Heirs Holdings’ healthcare subsidiary, Avon Medical Hospital.
Additionally, UBA is also 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, said, “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.”
UBA, with a strong record of supporting its host communities at challenging times operates in 20 African countries and globally in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and France.
