COVID-19: WAHO, German govt donate medical equipment to Nigeria

The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) in collaboration with the German government, on Saturday donated critical medical equipment for COVID-19 response to Nigeria.

Speaking during the handover ceremony of the equipment to the federal government in Abuja, Director-General of WAHO, Prof Stanley Okolo, said the medical equipment comprise two ventilators and two ventilator trolleys, 40, 512 diagnostic test kits, 5, 000  locally made sanitisers, and 10, 000 surgical masks.

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Others are 12, 000 N95 masks, 10, 000 surgical masks, 1, 600 face shields, 294, 000 gloves, 12, 800 goggles, 8,190 overalls and  23, 220 gowns.

Prof Okolo said it was important for people to comply with the health protocols against the COVID-19 pandemic since it would be around for some time.

He urged citizens of West Africa to make a pact with friends and family to practice personal hygiene and social distancing, and to never be out in public without a face mask.

Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire said the choice of Abuja by ECOWAS and WAHO, as the central hub for receipt and distribution of regional supplies of medical products and equipment for the fight against COVID-19 was a great indication of confidence, adding that Nigeria would play its role in providing support to fellow member states in the ECOWAS sub-region to fight the disease outbreak.

He said the medical equipment would also facilitate the work of health workers in the country.

A representative of the German government and coordinator of GIZ,  Ludwig Kirchner said cooperation between WAHO  with the German government on Infectious diseases prevention and control dated back to 2014. He said the donated  equipment was also meant for  distribution to other countries in the sub-region.

Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu said the COVID-19 pandemic was not an infection to be ignored and required collaborations and working closely at the regional level to tackle the pandemic.

Director-General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control ( NCDC) , Dr Chikwe Iheakwazu said the response to the Ebola outbreak and COVID-19 has been increasing collaboration in the sub-region.