Rwanda has received a donation from His Highness (H.H) Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, of over 300,000 pieces of personal protective equipment ( PPE) and medical equipment.
Sumeet Bhardwaj, Director General of Dubai World Ports and representative of HH Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in Rwanda, officially handed over the donation that landed at Kigali International Airport on Saturday morning.
The consignment included shipments of medical test kits for Coronavirus (Covid-19), protective equipment and face masks, plus ventilators that will be used by RBC in combating the virus.
Bhardwaj said the donation is a heartfelt contribution from the Dubai ruler and his wife Her Highness, Sheik Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum as a sign of a close bilateral relationship between the two nations.
“This is not the first or last donation to Rwanda, on behalf of the King he extends his kind greetings to President Paul Kagame and the people of Rwanda, and promise to maintain the existing bilateral relationship through more support in the future,” Bhardwaj said.
Dr Sabin DG Rwanda Biomedical Center says the donation will assist in three ways, testing treatment and prevention measures set in place by the government and part of the consignment will be discharged to the covid19 epicenters in the districts of Rusizi and Kirehe were the 31 cases surfaced or reported yesterday are.
The donated equipment was transported to Rwanda as part of the contribution to the country’s recovery efforts, with funding and logistical support from DP World and The One and Only Nyungwe Hotel in Rwanda.
Bonita Mutoni, the sales and marketing manager of The One and Only Hotel in Nyungwe said their support for this cause would make it possible for Rwanda to be a secure and free place of Covid-19 in order to draw more high-end tourists back to the hospitality sector in the region, which has been hit hardest by the global coronavirus crisis.
Rwanda has a total of 541 confirmed cases of coronavirus and on 13 June registered 31 new cases of COVID-19-the highest number since the first case was confirmed on 14 March;
RBC says there has been a concerted attempt to contain the virus by isolation, monitoring, and care amid the rise in numbers, which has seen the country test figures rising to more than 2000 a day. So far, the country has conducted 87,656.
“We are sure with these measures we will win the fight on coronavirus and we shouldn’t be worried that things are getting out of hand with these figures, instead look at it as a result of enforcing measure to contain the virus,” Dr. Sabin said in the assurance of Rwandans.
