1. On 25 January, Mr. TAKIMI Kazuyuki, Counsellor (Head of Economic and Development Assistance) of Embassy of Japan, handed over medical equipment for COVID-19 response, procured by Japan in collaboration with UNOPS under Japan’s grant worth US$5.18 million to the Ministry of Health and Sports. The ceremony took place at the National Health Laboratory with the attendance of Prof. Dr. Htay Htay Tin, Deputy Director General of the National Health Laboratory and Mr. Jean-Francois Laurent, Head of Programme of UNOPS Myanmar.
2. The medical equipment handed over at this ceremony is 10 medical waste management disposal systems, 3 centrifuges and 4 autoclaves, which will be used at the National Health Laboratory, public health laboratories and hospitals across Myanmar.
3. Through this grant project (worth US$5.18 million) to provide critical medical equipment of high quality, the Government of Japan has already handed over automated PCR testing machines and PCR laptops, PCR testing kits, reagents such as RNA extraction kits and molecular biological grade ethanol as well as power supply units and generators for ICU facilities to the National Health Laboratory (NHL) and national hospitals. The Government of Japan will continue to procure and hand over medical equipment to the Government of Myanmar under this grant project, including ambulances, additional PCR testing kits, mobile X ray machines, medical monitors, and pulse oximeters.
4. The Government of Japan remains determined to proactively support the nation-building and the people of Myanmar, including through the assistance for COVID-19 response.