China makes 2nd donation of protective gear to help Guyana fight COVID-19

The People’s Republic of China, via the Ali Baba Foundation, on Tuesday made a second donation of 30,000 face masks and 1536 COVID-19 testing kits to the Public Health Ministry.

This contribution is aimed at fostering the efforts to protect the frontline response to COVID-19 while ensuring more persons are tested for the disease.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud, who received the donation on behalf of the Ministry, disclosed that Guyana, as of March 18, conducted more than 1000 tests with 124 persons returning a positive result.
He added that testing was increased to curb the spread of the coronavirus, and to further protect persons.
“We have been doing more testing; therefore, test kits are vital. We know that the frontline response to COVID-19 has always been to provide adequate protection for everyone who comes in contact with possible cases. So, the masks are vital in providing continuous high-quality services throughout the health system,” the CMO stated.
Deputy Chief of Mission of the Chinese Embassy in Guyana, Chen Xilai said the donation showed the concern and support of the people of China.
“This is a friendly gesture from Ali Baba, a popular e-commerce company in China.  It is a good example of Chinese companies shouldering social responsibility and also a demonstration of Chinese caring about Guyanese,” he said.
The Deputy Chief of Mission added that China has been contributing to the “containment and treatment” of COVID-19 all over the world.
The first donation from the People’s Republic of China comprised 500 face masks, 500 pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and 100 infrared thermometers, along with 500 medical goggles, 500 pairs of disposable gloves, and 500 isolation shoe covers.