The West African Health Organisation (WAHO), has donated medical equipment and supplies worth over N19 million to Nigeria for COVID-19 response.
The COVID-19 response materials include laboratory diagnostic kits and reagents, personal protective equipment (PPEs), oxygen concentrators and other medical supplies.
Speaking while handing over the first consignment of the equipment to the federal government yesterday, in Abuja, Director General of the organisation, Prof. Stanley Okolo said medical supplies were procured with funds from the German Government, European Union, and UNDP.
He said that the equipment was distributed to Nigeria and other member countries to strengthen response against the pandemic even as vaccines were being administered.
Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha who was represented by the Minister of Environment, Dr. Mahmoud Abubakar, said the number of confirmed cases and attendant deaths during the second wave exceeded the levels experienced during the first wave.
He said, there was a critical need to continually strengthen national response capacities through the availability of essential medical supplies to enhance diagnostic testing, treatment of hospitalized patients, and protection of frontline workers as the pandemic evolved.
He said, “The critical medical supplies would go a long way in protecting health care workers who every day risk their lives to test, trace and care for our fellow citizens while contributing to reducing the number of COVID-19 related deaths.”
Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora thanked WAHO and other partners for the donation saying it would go a long way in supporting the country’s response.
He said the country was making huge strides in its efforts to defeat the pandemic especially with the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines.
While saying that the country would commence COVID-19 vaccination exercise today he said the country’s response to the pandemic has expanded from four Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratories at the outset of the pandemic to over 100.
