The Sierra Leone government has on Monday June 22, 2020, received the second batch of medical supplies from the People’s Republic of China to support the fight against COVID-19.
Speaking during the handing ceremony, the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, H.E. Hu Zhangliang, said that the donated items include 10,032 testing kits, 5,000 PPEs, 15,000 N95 respirators, 150,000 surgical masks, 7,000 medical goggles, 7,000 medical gloves and 3,000 medical shoe covers.
He further stated that the Chinese government, its people and army have provided seven rounds of donation to Sierra Leone, bringing the total donated items to more than 17,000 PPEs, 26,000 N95 respirators, 280,000 surgical facial masks, 32,000 testing kits, and a considerable amount of medical goggles, medical gloves, medical shoe covers and ventilators etc.
“We are glad to know that these items have been essential in enhancing the competency of the Sierra Leonean heroic fighters. I believe that this batch of medical supplies will help consolidate what Sierra Leone has achieved so far in the fight,” Ambassador Hu said.
Ambassador Zhangliang said that under the staunch leadership of President Bio and his government, Sierra Leone has achieved commendable results in combating COVID-19.
“Sierra Leonean people have displayed the fine qualities of discipline, unity and resilience in the battle. In this global fight against COVID-19, solidarity and cooperation is the most powerful weapon. China and Africa have been firmly together just as they have been throughout the past several decades no matter how international situation changes,” he said.
He added that on June 17, an extraordinary virtual China-Africa summit on solidarity against COVID-19 was held in-Beijing, where important consensus was achieved on making a more concerted effort on cooperation in public health and economic livelihood, as China and Africa stay committed to upholding multilateralism.
He continue that China would work with Africa to uphold the UN-centred global governance system and support WHO in making greater contribution to the global COVID-19 fight. He condemned the politicization of COVID-19, opposed racial discrimination and ideological bias, and called for firm stance on equity and justice in the world’s response to COVID -19.
He assured that China would work closely with African countries to consolidate friendship and mutual trust, support each other on issues involving respective core interests, and advance the fundamental interests of both nations.
Speaking on behalf of the NACOVERC coordinator, the Deputy Coordinator Sheka A.F. Bangura expressed their profound thank for the gesture to the government of Sierra Leone.
“The goods are invaluable to our fight…We will definitely be going to use this support to those who truly contract the disease,”he emphasized.
The Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Alpha Tejan Wurie, on behalf of the President, stated that Sierra Leone has taken commendable strides, as the country has recorded over1,300, adding that such a figure should not be a daunting issues because “the great issues is that we have over 60% recoveries”.
He said that the Country cannot only focus on COVID-19 and forget about a disease like malaria which has a higher mortality rate. “We are now distributing 4.6 million bed nets. This is critical for pregnant women when they get affected, they affect their child,” he said.
By Desmond Tunde Coker
23/6/2020. ISSUE NO.: 7851