Donation of various medical materials against covid-19 offered to 5 hospitals in Kinshasa by the American Government through the US Embassy in Democratic Republic of Congo

The Ambassador of the United States of America in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mike Hammer handing over to the Congolese Minister of Health, Eteni Longondo the medical materials against covid-19

The Ambassador of the United States of America in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mike Hammer, presented this Saturday, May 16, to Saint Joseph Hospital in Limeté during an official ceremony of presentation to the Minister of Health, Eteni Longondo, a batch of medical materials intended to be given to 5 hospitals Kinshasa which support covid-19 patients.

This follows the commitment of the american President Donald J. Trump to send ventillators to various countries around the world, including in Latin America, Asia and Africa, as nations seek to stem the health crisis from coronavirus outbreak.

Mike Hammer said the gathering on a Saturday was because the cooperation between USA and DRC in the health sector is one of the main priorities of the US Embassy.

He added that the american representation was literally working on health every day because, as President Tshisekedi said, a country does not thrive without a healthy people. 

"Our assistance and collaboration to improve the health situation in the Congo is an important pillar of the Privileged Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in the United States and the DRC, " said the Mike Hammer in his speech during the ceremony of presentation of these materials.

"I am pleased to deliver this donation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to five hospitals in Kinshasa; Saint Joseph Hospital, Monkole Hospital Center, Sino-Congolese Friendship Hospital , Kinkole Hospital, and Vijana Hospital to support your efforts to treat people infected with COVID-19 and prevent others from getting the virus, " he added.

In the bundle of these materials, there are computers, patient monitors, sterilization tools, washing stations, non-contact Thermoflash infrared thermometers and much more which will help treat and monitor COVID-19 patients and reduce the risk of spreading the virus in hospitals and in the community.

"This equipment represents only a tiny fraction of the $ 29 million that the United States has so far announced as its contribution to combating the effects of COVID-19 in the DRC. Also, White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien called President Tshisekedi to inform him that the United States will be supplying high-end respirators which we hope will arrive soon in DRC.  Our goal is to save lives. This call expressed our support for the DRC's fight against COVID-19 and against Ebola, " added the American diplomat.

In addition to supplying equipment to hospitals, the United States, said the ambassador, has experienced senior CDC staff who work permanently in the country here in Kinshasa, providing technical support to laboratories and the national committee of response. 

"They were here during the Ebola epidemic, they are working on COVID-19 and they will stay long after the end of this health crisis because our commitment to improve the health of the Congolese people is permanent," said Mike Hammer.

In the past 20 years, the United States has spent more than $ 1.5 billion on the health sector in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Cassien Tribunal Aungane, Editor