Government has adopted a deliberate policy for innovation and import substitution in order to combat and respond to the Covid19 pandemic, revealed a Cabinet Minister. This was said Minister Mutsvangwa highlighted that the virus is now in our communities, with local transmissions now accounting for the majority of new cases. She said greater precautionary and preventative measures have to be taken in our day to day activities. Speaking on the issues to do with production and availability of PPEs and drugs, Minister Mutsvangwa said local companies have been producing various PPEs, drugs and medical sundries. “As part of efforts to combat and respond to the COVID19 pandemic, Government has adopted a deliberate policy for innovation and import substitution. As a result of this push, Zimbabwe’s tertiary institution and local companies have been producing various PPEs, drugs and other medical sundries which are crucial to the fight against COVID19," she said. “ZLG, a local company has diversified and is now manufacturing 40 000 surgical face masks per day which have been certified by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe. These masks are 50 percent cheaper than the imported variety.”