Abu Dhabi Government donates $5m in medical equipment and supplies to Guinea

Conakry, 17.03.2014: The Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation today delivered 50 tonnes of medical equipment and supplies, valued at US$5 million, from the people and government of the United Arab Emirates to support the provision of healthcare in the Republic of Guinea. The donated items were received in Conakry today in the presence of HE Kerfalla Yansane, Minister of State for Mines and Geology.

The move is in line with the growing bilateral relations between the two nations and reflects the UAE’s keenness to support the people of the Republic of Guinea and help improve quality of life. The donation comprises general and specialized medical equipment and consumables, in addition to medicine covering all aspects of hospital activity. It is designed to improve healthcare facilities and aid healthcare providers in Guinea, to better serve the requirements of the Guinean people. The project has been carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Mines and the Office of the President, Professor Alpha Condé. A taskforce led by the Ministry of Health in Guinea will manage the distribution of the equipment to hospitals and clinics in the country.

At a ceremony to mark the handover in Conakry, Eid Al Mazroei, Specialist Social Service at Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, said, “We visited Guinea in 2013 as part of an official UAE delegation in which we assessed the healthcare system requirements. This donation reflects the strong intentions of the UAE Government to improve the availability of healthcare for the people of Guinea. We are grateful to our counterparts in the Government of Guinea for their cooperation during this process.”

The Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation will continue to assess the requirements of the healthcare sector and other sectors in Guinea, to determine appropriate support schemes.

On behalf of the Government of Guinea, the Guinea Minister of State for Mines and Geology, H.E Kerfalla Yansane said: “Bilateral relationships between the UAE and Guinea have been developing rapidly since 2011 when the President Alpha Conde met His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. Strategic partnerships with entities such as Dubai Aluminium, Mubadala, Emirates Airlines, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation are supporting the government’s vision for the country’s economic and social development.”