Posted on: Mon 04-07-2022

Chinese community and organisations have donated seven ventilators to Lagos State Ministry of Health for distribution to four hospitals in the state to help combat COVID-19 and attend to emergencies.

In a statement, yesterday, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, at the presentation ceremony, thanked the donors, saying the items would strengthen the state’s government emergency response efforts.

“This is not the first donation that the Chinese government is making donations to Lagos State in response to COVID-19. At the peak of COVID-19, we did receive quite a few consumables that were extremely useful in fighting off the wave.

“Now, we are receiving seven ventilators as part of the response to COVID-19, but medical practitioners realise that right now, we are trying to strengthen our emergency response in Lagos. And this will be extremely useful to strengthen Intensive Care Units (ICUs) across general hospitals. Ventilators are not cheap equipment, and so, for the Chinese government to deem it fit to provide us with seven ventilators, we really do appreciate and express our gratitude. And we hope the ties between the two countries will continue, and that we too will be able to make donation to the Chinese government,” Ogboye said.

The Chinese Consular General to Nigeria, Chu Maoming, said that medical and public health is one of the most extensive concerns raised by citizens, especially against the pandemic background.

“There is still a long way to go to improve the intensive care treatment for many Africa countries due to the cost of intensive care unit being very high, and the staff from ICU need to be well trained. Medical experts from china are in some African countries providing support. This is another joint effort between the countries in the fight against COVID-19. The Chinese community/Chinese companies and organisations, in 2020 also donated some medical materials and equipment.

“In the past two years, the pandemic has posed great challenges to the whole world and people suffer great losses. The assistance from Nigerian hospitals and medical professionals has helped local Chinese communities to manage and cope with the pandemic. And we are donating these seven ventilators to four of the hospitals as a way of showing our thanks to the state Ministry of Health, and the medical staff. I am sure that the equipment will contribute to the fight against COVID-19 and benefit more Nigerians and Chinese,” Maoming said.

Also commenting, Mr. Oyebanji Oluwakayode Dada, who represented Afrimed said that the medical equipment valued at over N100m will be installed and staff will be trained by Afrimed and Aeonmed.

He added that: “Africamed with its mission to improve healthcare system helps to bridge the gap between China and Africa.”

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