UAE sends 8 tonnes of medical aid to Colombia

As part of efforts to strengthen the capacity of the health sector in various countries to overcome the COVID-19 crisis, the UAE on Monday sent eight tonnes of medical supplies to Colombia.

The aid will assist approximately 8,000 medical professionals as they work to contain the coronavirus.

Commenting on the aid delivery, Salem Rashed Salem Al Owais, UAE Ambassador to Colombia, said: "The UAE is keen under its policy of cooperation and solidarity to develop its relations with many countries around the world.

“Despite the distance between our two countries, bilateral relations have witnessed remarkable development on all fronts, and the dispatch of medical assistance today affirms the strength of these relations."

"The UAE always stands with friendly countries and provides them with a helping hand, especially under these circumstances, which the entire world is facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The UAE hopes that medical assistance will contribute to enhancing the capacity of medical and nursing staff by providing them with additional protection.”

On April 8, the UAE sent 10 tonnes of medical supplies to Colombia to aid the country’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, benefitting over 10,000 healthcare professionals. The same flight repatriated 63 Colombian citizens from the UAE.

To date, the UAE has responded to the COVID-19 crisis by providing over 923 tonnes of aid to 65 countries in need, supporting more than 923,000 medical professionals in the process.