NBC picks up
Mobile Clinic theme
By Express Reporter
The corporate sector is notorious for coming up with fads in the name of
corporate responsibility - showing a caring face towards the community is the
more precise definition. The latest in this vein is what corporate types now
refer to as ‘corporate citizenship’.
The National Bank of Commerce Ltd (NBC), which is arguably the largest and most
profitable commercial bank in the country, seems to have picked the theme with
plenty of zest.
Since its privatisation in April 2000, the bank has not only spent generously on
school fees and specialised learning materials such as computers to schools
across Tanzania, but also pioneered health clinics on the wheel brand named NBC
Mobile Clinic.
According to Corporate Affairs and Communications Manager, Maxwell Pirikisi, NBC
has adopted a three-pronged corporate social investment policy in its approach
to support community programmes. Areas covered in this approach include health,
education and job creation.
Speaking recently at a handing over ceremony of three NBC Mobile Clinics to the
Dar es Salaam Health Board Association, Pirikisi said the bank had until the end
of last year spent around US$ 220,000 Tsh. 234 million to put four of such fully
equipped mobile clinics on the road. The clinics have each been deployed in
Ilala, Kinondoni and Temeke districts and Dar es Salaam’s central business
district.
Thousands of the city residents are now enjoying free provision of a
comprehensive range of basic medical care services courtesy of a corporate
entity, an aspect never witnessed in Tanzania before. The services range from
mother and child health care to diagnosis and treatment of diseases like
malaria, STDs and abnormal blood pressure among others.
Dar es Salaam Mayor, Kleist Sykes, who received the three brand new NBC Mobile
Clinics on behalf of the Dar es Salaam Public Health Board Association praised
NBC for taking a lead role in assisting the government in its efforts to meet
health service provision challenges in the country, calling other corporate
citizens to emulate the remarkable example set by the bank.
Commenting at the function, Maxwell Pirikisi said the donation was not merely a
gesture of good will but a mark of good corporate citizenship - a public
demonstration of what the bank stands for – as “a bank for all Tanzanians”.
Said Pirikisi: “Yes we are a commercial bank and as such, undeniably so, our
business is that of making money. But we cannot just be profit conscious and
remain deaf and blind to community needs.
We have come to realize that we cannot just make money and ignore the people who
help us to make that money. As a leading corporate citizen, we acknowledge that
we are in business because of the people around us and in those communities
where we do business.
“We are therefore not oblivious of the fact that these people desperately need
to be in good health”.
Hundreds of miles away from Dar es Salaam at a small town of Karatu in Arusha
Region, the same remarks were heard last week, this time from NBC Area Manager
for Arusha Zone, Derrick Nicholas, at yet another NBC sponsored occasion by the
bank of handing over containers of medical equipment imported from Germany.
The containers full of various hospital equipment, worth millions of dollars,
were brought into the country by the bank in partnership with non-governmental
organisations. They will be of good use for thousands of pastoral families of
Karatu District, most who lack access to modern medical facilities.
“Thanks NBC and partners” were the words of the Karatu Member of Parliament, Dr
Wilbroad Slaa (CHADEMA) for this gesture of generosity, and need someone say
more?