The United States government has donated 200 ventilators to Nigeria to help the country respond to the COVID-19.
President Donald Trump had in April 28, 2020, promised to send the West African nation ventilators to help it tackle the deadly virus.
Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, received the ventilators from the United States Agency for International Development on behalf of the Nigerian Government in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to him, the donation comprises 200 ventilators, which are a very critical component of the response strategy to tackle the virus.
Ehanire said: “The donation consists of 200 ventilators, which, as we all know by now, are a critical component of the response strategy to save the lives of persons who have been severely impacted by this viral infection.
“They will certainly be of great benefit to the people of Nigeria and I wish to convey the appreciation of His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and of the government of Nigeria, to President Donald Trump and the United States Government for the generous consideration and friendly gesture.
“The Federal Ministry of Health, and its public health Agency, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, have focused on providing guidance to tackle the challenges.
“Our health workers have been trained and equipped and are doing the needful to attend to COVID-19 patients and give emergency care, while not losing sight of routine and essential health services.”
The U.S. government also in May donated “up to 1,000” ventilators to South Africa to help the country respond to COVID-19.
South Africa is the first country in the world to receive this state-of-the-art equipment” from the National Security Council and USAID, the U.S. Embassy said in a tweet. Also, Mexico received a U.S. shipment of 211 ventilators as part of aid promised by President Donald Trump.