DILI, august 18, 2020 (TATOLI)- The United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) has support a U$5.7 million cost for health equipment and medicines to respond to the Covid-19 crisis, and other critical healthcare needs, which is ongoing as planned.
According to the statement from the press released this medical equipment have been purchased as of August in total nearly US$4.6 million and majority already have been delivered.
“The acquired equipment were 42 types of essential medicines such as Amoxicillin, Dexamethasone, and Zinc; and 23 types of Covid-19 PPE and medical equipment including 45 ventilators, 10,000 safety goggles and face shields, 200,000 surgical masks and 300,000 N95 masks; 10,000 safety goggles and face shields; and 100 pulse oximeters,” based on the press released.
Ten thousand Covid-19 test kits and 25,000 sample collection kits are also part of the procurement.
The equipment were the quality assured items from the countries in Europe and Asia including, the UK, Spain, France, Austria, Italy, and South Korea which sourced directly by the UNDP’s global procurement team (in Geneva and Copenhagen, Bangkok, Beijing).
Besides the UNDP resources were also allocated to providing quality assurance and control for the procurement as well as technical training, maintenance, and warranties to ensure safety for the population and frontline workers.
“Cooperation between all parties has been excellent and has increased the capacity of local health authorities overall, as well as in responding to the ongoing pandemic,” underline in the statement.
It is recalled that up to six planned shipments were handed over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Servico Autonomo de Medicamentos e Equipamentos de Saude (SAMES) on Friday 29 May and Thursday 9 July respectively.
The latest shipment of goods has arrived in Dili Port and is being cleared by customs authorities. Subsequent storage of the goods has been conducted by SAMES.
TATOLI