The Federal Government on Wednesday received the second donation of 2,000 Nigerian-made face masks from Israel, to boost its continued fight against the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic.
This donation is the second donated by Israel in fulfillment of its planned donation of 10,000 face masks to support frontline health workers in the country.
The first donation of 2,000 face masks was made on May 7.
Director of Information, Media and Public Relations Olujimi Oyetomi made this known in a statement in Abuja.
According to the statement: “The Israeli Embassy in Nigeria, led by H.E. Simoh Bem Soshan, which earlier planned a donation of 10,000 face masks to medical staff who are in the frontline in Nigeria, has made good its promise coming with the second donation of 2,000 today, Wednesday, 12th August, 2020. The earlier donation of the first instalment of 2,000 was made earlier on Thursday, May 7, 2020.
“To this, the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who in the company of the Permanent Secretary, Health, Mr. A.M. Abdullahi, received the second instalment of the promised face masks, said he wish that Nigeria could reciprocate this kind gesture given the fact that Israel like every other country in the world is facing its own share of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria had earlier pointed out that the face masks were designed in Israel but produced in Nigeria by a Nigerian-Israeli Company – Skill-G Nigeria. “
Ehanire requested knowledge-sharing with Israeli researchers on vaccine against COVID-19, so that the country will be able to access the vaccine when it is finally developed.
He also sought the partnership of Israel in the establishment of the Medical Ambulance Emergency Service, which is currently underway.