Zanzibar government received the donation of equipment for testing Covid-19 yesterday.

The equipment, known as Rapid Test, is valued at Sh250 million.

Zanzibar’s First Vice President Othman Masoud received the equipment from SD Biosensor Company of South Korea.

The equipment with the capacity of giving the results of Covid-19 tests within 15 minutes was handed over at the Sheikh Idrisa Abdulwakil Hall at Kikwajuni in Unguja, Zanzibar.

“This support has come at the right time, whereby the government has stepped up the fight against the Coronavirus disease,” said the First Vice President.

Mr Othman said earlier Covid 19 tests were mostly carried out to passengers or people suspected of being infected with the virus, but now the support would widen the scope even in social areas. Besides that, the First Vice President clarified that the government would continue to make more efforts in putting in place good infrastructure for tests, protection and treatment for those diagnosed with the disease.

For his part, Zanzibar’s Health, Social Welfare, the Elderly, Gender and Children minister Nassor Ahmed Mazrui told the First Vice President that for now there was no Covid-19 patient in Zanzibar and urged the public to continue taking precautionary measures against the disease.

SD Biosensor Company representative Sunjay Padatia said they had given the equipment support as part of the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.