Taiwanese envoy in Nigeria, Amb. Vincent Yang, on Friday donated about 50,000 medical masks to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control( NCDC).
Yang, while handing over the consignment to the Head of NCDC Lagos office, Mrs Olajumoke Babatunde, said Nigeria would soon receive another consignment of 100,000 masks from Taiwan.
”The donation of this consignment of about 50,000 medical masks is to support the Nigerian government’s efforts at containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
”As we are handing this consignment to the representative of the Lagos office of NCDC, let me express Taiwan’s willingness to share her experience on the control of COVID-19 with Nigeria.
”This first phase of masks are intended to meet the urgent need of masks by frontline medical personel and other relevant groups in the spirit of ‘ Taiwan can help and Taiwan is helping,” he said.
Yang said that Taiwan had so far been able to contain the transmission of the virus and minimise its effects on people and their daily activities.
The representative said that the country had through transparency and honesty, implemented preventive measures through a democratic model of excellence in fighting the virus.
”Having recorded enviable success in the containment of COVID-19, the Island nation has been reaching out to friendly countries to share her successes in the fight against the pandemic.
”The Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has since April embarked on international humanitarian assistance in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
”Taiwan has been donating over 16 million medical masks and other medical supplies to the U.S., Europe and allies,” he said.
Yang expressed Taiwan’s readiness to cooperate with other countries in containing the spread of COVID-19 globally, adding that no country could fight against the pandemic alone.
Mrs Olajumoke Babatunde, Head of NCDC Lagos office, thanked the Taiwanese government for the donation, and promised to communicate the kind gesture to the Director General of NCDC in Abuja.
Babatunde also assured the envoy that with the government’s and centre’s ongoing efforts, Nigeria would soon record great success in containing the virus.
She said that it was imperative for the centre and the Taiwan envoy in Nigeria to develop a synergy for information sharing and exchanges in the near future.
