[Source: Fijian Government

Fiji has received Personal Protective Equipment and medical supplies worth $160,000 to support the national effort to contain COVID-19.

The assistance has been given by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation Asia-Pacific Regional Office in collaboration with the UNOSSC Cities project team and its partners in China’s Fuzhou and Wuhan cities.

The consignment that arrived this week consists of 600,000 disposable masks and 10,000 disposable coveralls.

In addition, the UN Office for South-South Cooperation contributed around $30, 000 worth of beds, linens and pillowcases.

The PPE’s were handed over today by the UNDP Resident Representative for the Pacific Office and UN Resident Coordinator Levan Bouadze to the Minister for Health Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete.

While thanking the development partners, the Health Minister says the assistance will enhance the Ministry’s efforts to safely and effectively deliver the public health response to contain the pandemic, and ultimately move forward to recovery.

“Even though one might ask why it is we still have donations coming in when the COVID numbers are declining, but we must always be prepared. We had towards the cyclone season and we also know as we have alluded to that live with COVID will never be the same and we have to adapt to the infection protocol guidelines that are in place”.

UN Resident Coordinator Levan Bouadze says in this collective fight against the pandemic, the UN is working on multiple tracks in support of the Fijian Government to manage the pandemic and build back better from it especially for the marginalized and the most vulnerable in the community.

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