WHO has delivered $1.6 million worth of essential COVID-19 medical supplies and equipment to Central Medical Store of the Ministry of Public Health of Afghanistan, a country with a health system facing severe challenges.
The shipment, worth US$ 1.6 million, includes 9.5 tons of personal protective equipment (gloves, gowns, surgical masks, face shields, goggles), 10 PCR machines, 100 oxygen concentrator machines, 100 stretchers, 319 RNA extraction kits, micropippets, pippet tip filters, biosafety cabinet and other critical items.
This latest WHO shipment will bolster efforts to keep frontline medical staff safe and improve testing capacity in the country.
When the pandemic started there were no COVID-19 testing facilities in Afghanistan, but under the leadership of the Ministry, WHO has since established 11 testing laboratories with a total capacity to perform 2500 tests per day, with plans to put in place another 10 sites, according to WHO Representative in Afghanistan, Dr Rik Peeperkorn.
Since February 2020, WHO has provided approximately US$ 4.2 million worth of COVID-19 supplies and equipment to Afghanistan for distribution based on need. An additional US$ 15.4 million worth of supplies and equipment are planned.
WHO partners with the World Food Programme to source and deliver essential supplies for COVID-19 response to 135 countries.