The World Health Organisation has contributed 26 ventilators and other equipment to support Nigeria in its fight against COVID-19.
Also, Nigeria received 3,560 fingertip oxygen pulse oximeters as authorities intensify efforts to tackle the spread of the disease as it is currently experiencing the third wave of the pandemic.
The donated items were received on behalf of the Federal Government by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire on Thursday in Abuja.
“We thank you and appreciate these additional assets as we have to deal with the fears of the third wave of COVID-19,” Ehanire told the WHO’s Country Representative Dr Walter Kazadi, who presented the items to him.
The delivery of the items coincided with the day Nigeria suffered its worst daily infections in six months, amid industrial action by resident doctors in the country and rising concerns about widespread protocol violations by citizens.
Dr. Ehanire expects the ventilators to come in handy in the race to halt the spread of the pandemic.
“Ventilators are becoming very useful, especially for early response in the period of COVID-19, and even after COVID-19, they will remain assets all over the country,” he said.
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WHO Country Representative, Dr. Walter Kazadi, stated that Nigeria has done relatively well in managing the first and second waves of the pandemic.
He also found the country’s national case fatality rate which he placed at 1.3 percent, a level that was half the regional average, satisfactory.
“It is against this backdrop we wish to demonstrate our continued support of the ministry’s efforts in further strengthening the country’s capacity in case management,” he said.
