China aids 18 African countries with medical supplies to fight COVID-19
ACCRA|2020-04-06 Monday(Xinhua)
China’s medical supplies for 18 African countries have arrived here on Monday, and are scheduled to be delivered to the other 17 countries within a few days.
The beneficiary African countries are Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Gabon, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Benin, Cape Verde, as well as Sao Tome and Principe.
The urgently needed and life-sustaining supplies freighted by a chartered China Air Cargo plane include Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), N95 face masks, medical protective suits, goggles, gloves, temporal artery thermometers, and ventilators.
The Chinese ambassador to Ghana Wang Shiting noted that although China had just started emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic with a limited stock of medical supplies, it was critical to extending a hand of support to its friends in Africa to overcome the disease.
“This effort shows China’s firm commitment to the China-Africa relations and further strengthens the strong historical bonds between China and Africa,” Wang said.
Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who received the items said the donation came at a crucial time when many of the beneficiary countries needed them most to curb the spread of the pandemic.
On behalf of the 18 beneficiary countries, Botchwey expressed profuse gratitude to the government and the people of China, adding that China has demonstrated through deeds that it is a reliable friend of Africa.
