Japanese Government has through United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provided about K350 million in grants for personal protection equipment (PPE) production to five universities.
The Grant Award Ceremony for UNDP’s Japan Supplementary Budget Project, “Increasing Covid-19 PPE Access in Malawi (Japan – Malawi Partnership)” was conducted on 27th of October.
University of Malawi has received 239 million, K4.2 million has been given to Mzuzu University; K61 million To Kamuzu University of Health Sciences; K13.6 million to Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST); K30.38 million to Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS).
UNDP and the Government of Japan are supporting universities to scale up access and improve the supply and management of PPEs and other COVID19 supplies for essential health care workers and front-line staff.
The five universities have been engaged in the production of face masks, face shields, hand sanitizers, disinfectants, non-touch sanitizing stations and molecular testing reagents. UNDP is seizing the opportunity to expand the capacities of these universities by exposing them to trainings, supporting the procurement of materials and linking them with markets.
Japanese Ambassador Satoshi Iwakiri said the project will boost domestic manufacturing of PPEs and other Covid-19 supplies.
“The responsibility of COVID-19 response should be shared with everyone. I encourage every institution taking a role in this project to effectively implement the project for the development of the country,” he said
UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Shigeki Komatsubara appreciated the government’s effort in fighting Covid-19.
The Principal Secretary of Administration, Ministry of Health Mr. Benstone Chisamile stated that Malawi will produce PPE locally under this project and can also export those products to neighbouring countries and Malawi is full of potential.
