The Republic of Korea has donated COVID-19 laboratory testing equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Accra, to help in the fight against the pandemic.

The items are; 27,000 units of PPE, comprising 5,000 Face Shield, 5,000 Goggles, 8,500 N95 Masks, 8,500 Surgical Isolation Gowns and eight units of COVID-19 testing lab equipment made up of four Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing machines, and four automated Ribonucleic acid(RNA) extractors.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) leveraged the full suite of the procurement instruments, including; Emergency Procurement Procedures, to implement the project.

The donation is expected to further strengthen the healthcare sectors capacity in the fight against COVID-19 by supporting frontline healthcare workers to decrease the risk of infection while assuring their duties in the service of Ghanaians.

Mr Moohen Kong, Country Director for Korea International Agency (KOICA), at the handing over ceremony, said the fight against COVID-19 pandemic was a shared duty.

He said the Government of the Republic of Korea would continuously renew its long-lasting commitment as a partner of the Government of Ghana, especially during “this trying times.”

Dr Kwabena Boadu Oku Afari, Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, said the Ministry was grateful to KOICA for its support and collaboration over the years.
“These donations will go a long way to help with the rising cases of COVID-19 cases we are experiencing in Ghana,” he said.

Ifeoma Charles-Monwuba, Director and Representative of UNOPS Ghana, said the Service was committed to continuing the strategic partnership with the Government of Ghana.

He said the Republic of Korea through KOICA would make available its vast procurement capabilities, including; emergency procurement procedures to all its partners in the COVID-19 response and management of other health challenges.

Mr Taesoo Kim, Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, lauded the government for its efforts to bringing the pandemic under control in Ghana through excellent leadership.

“I sincerely believe that the Ghanaian Government will be able to lead the country and curb the spread of the virus from getting out of hands as the country experiences an increase in cases,” he said.