THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services received 22,200 Cepheid GeneXpert COVID-19 testing kits worth about $900,000 from the Asian Development Bank and UNICEF Fiji on Monday.
Officiating at the handover, Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said the kits would make testing faster and convenient.
“This timely donation will ensure increasing surveillance through our communities across Fiji and will boost confidence among our neighbours on the safety of our shore as a tourist destination going forward,” he said.
“Since our first case and our last border case, we continue to have 32 fever clinics operating around the country and the receivable of this GeneXpert test kits will further empower our screening capacity.”
He said there were continuous testing done in quarantine facilities and within the communities to maintain Fiji COVID contained.
Meanwhile, UNICEF Pacific representative Sheldon Yett said testing was the key part in making sure people were safe from the virus.
Also present at the handover, Asian Development Bank Pacific Sub regional director Masayuki Tachiiri said the distribution of the kits were part of the ADB’s financial support to the Fiji Government.
