The Federal Republic of Germany has donated 5 million protective surgical masks (worth 1,570,000 USD in total) to the Ministry of Health through the World Health Organization country office to support the nationwide response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister of Health, Firas Hawari, said that: “We are very grateful to the people and the Government of Germany for their continued assistance in our fight against COVID-19. Protecting frontline health workers is vital for the Government of Jordan and the donation will go a long way in helping us achieve this aim.”
The German Ambassador to Jordan, Bernhard Kampmann, said: “This shipment of surgical masks underlines that we stand firmly with our Jordanian partners in these difficult times. In order to reduce the pressure on health workers battling with the ever-changing face of the pandemic, it is important that we all contribute to stopping the spread of the virus and continue to follow the preventive measures.”
On her part, the WHO Representative to Jordan, Jamela Al Raiby, said: “We appreciate the timely donation of the Federal Republic of Germany and support to Jordan in halting the pandemic of COVID-19. Personal Protective Equipment is critical in preventing the transmission of COVID-19 in healthcare settings. We also would like to acknowledge the German support to the WHO Health Emergencies programme in Jordan amount of 500,000 USD.”
The in-kind donation arrives at a time when Jordan is witnessing a resurge in daily reported COVID-19 cases. Previously, Germany had donated ventilators, analysers and testing kits through bilateral arrangements and provided substantial support to the COVAX vaccination platform and the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator. The surgical masks will play a crucial role in providing protection to frontline health workers in their ongoing fight against COVID-19.
WHO called on the international community to continue its support to Jordan’s preparedness and response as the country continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Jordan News Agency