Diaspora Trust Fund Procures over 1 Mn USD Worth COVID-19 Equipment, Supplies

Addis ababa, May 6/2012( ENA)The Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund disclosed that it has procured Protective Personal Equipment (PPE) and related medical supplies worth 1.173 million USD to safeguard the well-being of frontline health personnel working to save lives across Ethiopia in the campaign against COVID-19.

In its press statement, the Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund (EDTF) said immediately after the establishment of the EDTF Emergency COVID-19 Mitigation window/subaccount on 4 April 2020, it formed an Implementation Committee to liaise with the ministries of health and finance regarding the items and supplies needed to combat the pandemic and undertake the required steps to secure the supplies.

The EDTF Implementation Committee managed to conduct an expedited international competitive solicitation which resulted in the procurement of the items and supplies listed below from SNS Global Pharma Corporation, it further stated.

EDTF Advisory Council Chairperson, Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam said Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund is doing everything possible to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic impact in Ethiopia.

“We allocated USD 1 million initial start-up from the EDTF ongoing fund and mobilized an additional USD 130 thousand to-date under a new EDTF COVID-19 Mitigation subaccount,” he added.

The chairperson further stated that EDTF's support will be used by the front-line health care staff in hospitals around the country, but targeting in particular those hospitals and health facilities in more disadvantaged areas.

Professor Alemayehu thanked "the Ethiopian Diaspora in 93 countries that continue to contribute to EDTF helping it finance critical needs of disadvantaged Ethiopians."

Treasurer of the Advisory Council and Chairman of the EDTF Implementation Committee, Bisrat Aklilu noted that “during this crucial period when the global demand for medical items and supplies to combat COVID-19 far outstrips the available supply, thanks to the continued timely support of EDTF donors and the work of members of the EDTF IC.”

“We have managed to secure the items needed to combat COVID-19 competitively, in record time and in close consultation with Ministry of Health,” he added.