Reported by
Faridah N Kulimba
Due to the surge in Covid-19 cases the United States Government, through the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) donated medical equipment to the Semi Autonomous Island Zanzibar Archipelago’s Ministry of Health to combat Covid-19 Pandemic.
According to the statement released by USAID, USAID’s Global Health Supply Chained activity recently procured respiratory and sanitation supplies valued at $400,000.
The supplies were delivered over the past month to the Port of Zanzibar and onward to public medical facilities through the central medical store.
The medical equipment which were delivered includes respiratory equipment such as pulse oximeters, pediatric and sanitation supplies such as backpack sprayers, and biohazard disposal bags.
Zanzibar’s Director General of the Ministry of Health Social Welfare, Elderly, Gender and Children Dr Abdullah S. Ali, speaking on the delivery of medical equipment said that the equipment will reduce the burden associated with the Covid-19.
“We believe in partnership relations that deliver quality health care to the general populations. The consignment of medical supplies received will fill the existing gaps in the reduction of the burden associated with the Covid-19 threat in terms of mortality, morbidity and hospitalization.
Covid-19 in Zanzibar
Zanzibar recorded its first Covid-19 death on 15 April 2020 and since then the cases of novel Coronavirus infection continued to rise, although the pandemic was concealed by the government when they insisted that they had no local transmission of the disease.
Death has robbed more than 10 prominent persons in Tanzania due to related Covid-19 illnesses only in February 2021. Among the noted ones Prof Benno Ndulu a former Central Bank Governor, and Zanzibar’s politician and first Vice-President Seif Sharif Hamad.
U.S-Zanzibar Health relations
The United States government is committed to working side by-side with all collaborators in Tanzania’s health sector to mitigate the effects of Covid-19.
The U.S is the single largest contributor to the international response to Covid-19, and over the last year the United States has dedicated $16.4 million to the Covid-19 response in Tanzania as the USAID statement stated.
The United States Ambassador to Tanzania. Donald Wright said that the U.S government is pleased to partner with the Zanzibar’s Ministry of Health to provide these critical supplies.
“Our contribution of $400,000 worth of respiratory support and sanitation supplies is a symbol of our commitment to this partnership, and we look forward to working side by side with you and other stakeholders in the fight against Covid-19 and in our broader efforts to improve global health security,” said Mr Wright.
