UNDP and the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg deliver 5,000 extraction test kits to the National Institute of Public Health
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Kosovo together with the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg delivered today the second shipment of health supplies consisting of 5,000 extraction test kits to the National Institute of Public Health in Kosovo (IKSHPK) and the Ministry of Health.
Arben Vitia, Minister of Health, Maria Suokko, UNDP Resident Representative, officials from the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo were present at the handover ceremony held at the National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo.
This donation comes as part of an agreement reached between the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and UNDP to provide immediate support to Kosovo to fight COVID-19.
Minister of Health, Arben Vitia, who was present at this ceremony, emphasized the importance of partnership in these difficult times: "Sustainable partnership with friendly countries and the support of organizations with global influence, also plays an important role in the management of the Covid-19 pandemic. Within the framework of this partnership, with the support of the Government of Luxembourg and UNDP, today we have received a valuable donation for the protection of public health, a significant amount of RT-PCR tests, a contingent that will affect capacity building and increase commitment in the joint fight against COVID-19. Testing is an important component that affects the reduction of cases of the spread of the virus and your contribution is extremely important for the health system in Kosovo. I take this opportunity to thank UNDP and Luxembourg and express my gratitude for the assistance provided during this period of public health emergency", said Vitia.
“UNDP stands with Kosovo institutions in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Today's donation was made possible through the generous contribution of the Government of Luxembourg through LuxDev in Kosovo, to whom we extend our heartfelt gratitude. We are working closely with the Ministry of Health and other institutions in Kosovo to support them in meeting immediate needs and effectively managing the crisis,” said Ms. Suokko during the event.
Ms. Natacha Gomes, Acting Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in Pristina, conveyed her greetings: “As a long-standing partner, Luxembourg supports Kosovo in the fight against COVID-19. Today’s shipment is part of a broader effort that we are undertaking together with our trusted partners such as UNDP. As we slowly move through different phases of gradually lifting restrictions, testing becomes even more important in order to be able to keep the pandemic under control and act quickly. Widespread testing and adherence to safety measures are the only ways to keep COVID-19 under control and we all need to contribute to this.”
The agreement with the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg through Lux Development SA has a total value of EUR 1 million, of which EUR 460,000 will be used for the purchase of up to 20,000 COVID-19 detection and extraction tests for the University Clinical Center of Kosovo (QKUK ) in Pristina. This will enable the Ministry of Health to efficiently track the spread of the virus and locate the key points of the epidemic, as a basis for forecasting and planning the control strategy. The remaining amount of the contribution will be used for humanitarian aid for families that have been particularly affected by COVID-19.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Kosovo, UNDP has been working closely with the authorities to support the immediate response to the pandemic by providing urgently needed medical supplies, personal protective equipment for frontline workers, and providing food assistance to those most at risk from this situation.
