ADF STAFF
To help Djibouti deal with rising cases of COVID-19, the U.S. recently donated $9,400 in hospital beds to Bouffard Hospital in Djibouti City.
The beds donated to Djibouti’s main quarantine hospital will help the Horn of Africa nation address the ongoing threat posed by the virus.
“One recognizes one’s friends in times of extreme need,” Dr. Saleh Banoita Tourab, executive secretary of the Djibouti Ministry of Health, said during the presentation. “That is the meaning of this generous donation you have just made to us.”
The purchase and presentation of the beds was coordinated by U.S. Africa Command and the U.S. State Department. The 95 hospital beds were the latest in a series of U.S. donations made since April to help Djibouti fight COVID-19. Previously, the government donated $15,000 in hygiene kits to be used by various government ministries.
COVID-19 was first reported in Djibouti in March. A nationwide lockdown begun March 23 ended in mid-May, allowing public transportation and religious services to return to operation with safeguards. Since then, reported cases have quadrupled to almost 5,000 cases of the deadly respiratory disease. Of those, more than 4,700 people have recovered and 56 have died as of mid-July, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
With nearly 500 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, Djibouti has Africa’s highest rate of infection, according to the Africa CDC.
U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti Larry André said the U.S. made the donation “in the spirit of the strong and enduring relationship between the United States and the Republic of Djibouti.”
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