The United Nations (UN) says it has received delivery of vital health supplies including 10,000 test kits, 15 oxygen concentrators, personal protective equipment (PPE), vaccines, and other vital health supplies for onward donation to the Nigerian government.
The supplies are co-financed by the European Union (EU) and IHS Nigeria, the Nigerian subsidiary of IHS Towers.
Currently, Nigeria has about 442 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with over 25 per cent recovery a d 12 deaths.
In a statement on Thursday, the Chief of Communications, UNICEF Nigeria, Eliana Drakopoulos, said the supplies will support Nigeria, through the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), to prevent and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in affected states across the country.
"The supplies are co-financed by the European Union (EU) and IHS Nigeria, the Nigerian subsidiary of IHS Towers," she said.
She said additional COVID-19 response supplies are expected in a UN joint flight to be delivered to Nigeria in the coming days.
"The personal protection equipment (PPEs) will protect medical personnel and ancillary staff who are the first responders in the frontline, providing care and treatment to people affected by the virus," she said.
She said the test kits will enable healthcare workers to test those who they suspect may have the virus to verify their health status, so they can get treatment and protect their families and communities.
She said the supplies will support the Nigerian Government's COVID-19 Response Plan and UNICEF's work with children and families in Nigeria.
UNICEF has reportedly shipped more than 6.3 million gloves, 1 million surgical masks, 267,831 N95 respirators, 230,395 gowns, 13,128 goggles and 19,178 face shields to countries across the world.
Testing
According to the UN's Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, "it is important to test many people as possible especially those with recent travel history and those who came into contact with travellers".
"These test kits will support Nigeria's drive to control the transmission of COVID-19 infections and support the government's ongoing strong efforts to protect the country from an escalating pandemic," he said.
He said working together with the government and other partners, including the private sector, "is the surest way of preventing and containing the COVID-19 pandemic."
Other donations
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus in Nigeria in late February, different organisations have supported the country with relief materials and cash
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the government said the European Union donated N21 billion to help Nigeria in the fight against coronavirus.
The ministry of health also received donations from the Jack Ma Foundation.
The donations included 107 boxes of medical supplies comprising surgical masks, medical disposable protective clothing, face shields and detection kits "all weighing about 1,400 kilogrammes".
Jack Ma is a Chinese business magnate, investor, and politician.
