The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has donated nine tonnes of medical equipment to Rwanda to strengthen ongoing response to the pandemic.
The supplies which arrived on Saturday 24th July2021 include medical beds and respiratory devices as well as COVID-19 vaccines and were received by the Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije.
Dr. Ngamije said that the equipment come in handy to complement Rwanda’s efforts to fight against COVID-19.
“Receiving such equipment complements existing efforts towards buying vaccines, other equipment and human capital development. It is a way of concerting efforts to defeat the pandemic,” He said.
The Ambassador of UAE in Rwanda, Hazza Alqahtani said that his country partners with Rwanda be it in good or bad times.
Rwanda was among the first countries to receive medical aid from the UAE to combat Covid-19. In June 2020, the UAE sent to Rwanda a plane carrying four tonnes of medical supplies to help over 4,000 healthcare workers to contain the spread of the pandemic.
In February 2021, the UAE sent a plane carrying 7.8 tonnes of medical aid in support of the Rwandan government’s efforts to fight Covid-19, “
Rwanda confirmed the first Coronavirus patient on 14th March 2020. The country records over 16,000 active cases, 71 people are critically ill while 727 have lost their lives due to the virus.