Male’, Maldives – Japan, a long time ally of Maldives has donated medical equipment worth USD 5.6 million, to the Maldives on Tuesday.
During a ceremony held at the Health Emergency Operation Center (HEOC), the equipment was handed over to the Maldives by the Japanese Ambassador to the Maldives, Keiko Yanai, and accepted on behalf of Maldives, by the Minister of Health of Maldives, Ahmed Naseem.
Among the equipment donated by Japan are, 65 bedside monitors, 19 portable ultra sound machines, 10 portable X-Ray machines, 132 syringe pumps, an additional 132 syringe pump accessories, as well as 19 defibrillators.
The Japanese embassy in the Maldives commented, stating that “the grant is intended to support the on-going efforts of the Government of Maldives, to improve the health services at atolls and regional hospitals across the country and also to strengthen their capacity to respond to the current pandemic of Covid-19.”
The statement further read that “Covid-19 is a global crisis that pressingly calls for our collective and cooperative efforts to contain and mitigate the spread of the virus, strengthen the healthcare systems and minimize the impact of the socio-economic challenges of the vulnerable.”
“The Government of Japan hopes that the grant assistance will further strengthen the healthcare system and contribute to the development of the health sector in the Maldives.”
Japan, over the years, and specially during the Covid-19 pandemic, has assisted Maldives multiple times, both in monetary and equipment form.
