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COVID-19: Maldives to procure 5,035 oxygen cylinders from Singapore

Mariyam Malsa
26 April 2020, MVT 11:27
Communications Undersecretary at the President's Office Mabrouq Abdul Azeez briefing the press on the latest COVID-19 updates for Maldives. PHOTO: MIHAARU
Mariyam Malsa
26 April 2020, MVT 11:27

The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), on Saturday, revealed that efforts were underway to acquire a total of 5,035 jumbo oxygen cylinders from Singapore in order to increase Maldives' capacity to tackle the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

Speaking at an NEOC press conference, Communications Undersecretary at the President's Office Mabrouq Abdul Azeez stated that the equipment was scheduled to arrive in Maldives on May 10.

Mabrouq stated that as Maldives possessed the capacity to refill oxygen cylinders, the batch from Singapore would boost the country's overall preparedness to deal with the outbreak.

Furthermore, Mabrouq stated that Medtech Maldives Pvt. Ltd arranged for the delivery of 18 ventilators from Dubai during the first week of May. The company was tasked with procuring 50 ventilators with a budget of MVR 14 million.

The contract with Medtech is part of the government's efforts to procure a total of 151 ventilators worth MVR 56 million. Six transportable ventilators that arrived on April 19 were also part of this deal.

Additionally, several international organizations have pledged to provide a total of 28 ventilators to Maldives. The World Bank, UNICEF, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Islamic Development Bank will contribute 18, three, four and three ventilators respectively.

Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), which owns several resorts in Maldives, also announced the decision to donate 15 ventilators Maldives as well.

Maldives' first confirmed case of COVID-19 within the capital city of Male', was recorded on April 15, involving a local woman that sought assistance from a flu clinic in Malé after developing symptoms.

Maldives now records 177 positive cases, two probable and 161 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 16 recoveries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The novel coronavirus has infected over 2.9 million people and claimed over 202,670 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 832,500 people have recovered.

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