Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia donates medical items worth $1b to Nigeria

The Saudi Arabian Government has donated medical items worth $1 billion to Nigeria to strengthen its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The medical items donated include 23 ventilators, surgical sterile gowns, non-sterile surgical gowns, surgical mask and nitrite gloves.

Olusegun Adetola, the Director, Media and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health, said in a statement that Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Nigeria, Faisal Ibrahim Alghamdi, handed over the donated medical items to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, in Abuja, on Tuesday, June 22.

According to Adetola, Saudi Arabia revealed its plan to organize 12 voluntary medical campaign to combat blindness, heart surgery and cataract and also promised medical campaigns for the six Geo-political zones of the country.

Health minister, Dr. Ehanire, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Alhaji Abdulazizi Mashi Abdullahi, also appreciated the Government of Saudi Arabia for its continuous contributions to the growth of Nigeria's health sector particularly through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre.

Abdullahi also praised the Kingdom for being in forefront of combating the menace in order to save human lives and preserve global health.