Itaú Unibanco will donate R $ 1 billion to combat the new coronavirus

The funds will be used to equip hospitals and can also finance the production of medicines and materials such as masks.

Itaú Unibanco will donate R $ 1 billion to combat the new coronavirus. The money will be transferred to the Fundação Itaú Social and will be managed by a group of health professionals led by Dr. Paulo Chapchap, general director of the Sírio-Libanês Hospital.

“I am happy with the unanimous support of the controllers and the board so that the bank can make this important contribution in the fight against the coronavirus,” he told the State the banker Roberto Setúbal, co-president of Itaú Unibanco together with Pedro Moreira Salles. “At this time of real humanitarian crisis, we believe that this initiative is essential,” said Moreira Salles. “By bringing together exceptional specific knowledge, management skills and financial resources, we hope to be up-to-date.” It is the largest known philanthropic initiative in the country.

The decision, anticipated by columnist Elio Gaspari in the newspapers. The balloon and Folha de S. PauloIt was taken about ten days ago by the bank’s board of directors and should be officially announced Monday.

The funds will be used to equip hospitals and can also finance the production of medicines and materials, such as masks. This year, the Itaú Foundation had already made a first donation of R $ 150 million to combat the pandemic. These funds target various NGOs, which distribute basic food baskets, medical supplies and equipment to hospitals.