World Health Organisation (WHO) has granted additional medical equipment to the Maldives, as part of efforts to strengthen the response to COVID-19 in the country.
The equipment was handed over to Ministry of Health during a ceremony held on July 5. The equipment was handed over to Minister of Health Ahmed Naseem by WHO Representative to the Maldives Dr. Nazneen Anwar.
The equipment donated by WHO includes 10 autoclaves, 11 GeneXpert machines for COVID-19 testing, and 6 motorcycles to be used by Rapid Response Teams (RRT) active in COVID-19 operations. Furthermore, WHO also donated 19,500 COVID-19 test kits and equipment for storage of vaccines.
The health ministry revealed the donation of 11 GeneXpert machines by WHO will help to establish COVID-19 testing facilities in 18 hospitals across the atolls. The ministry said the donation would boost the efforts of the government to strengthen the capacity of the healthcare system in fighting the spread of COVID-19.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO has provided continuous assistance to the Maldives to help the country counter the spread of COVID-19. As such, the organisation has been regularly donating COVID-19 test kits, machines and medical consumables.