The Rwandan government has donated testing medical kits to the United Nation Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to bolster its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, an official source revealed Sunday in Kigali.
This is part of the earlier promised 200 COVID-19 test kits and personal protective equipment to the mission in support of international efforts to contain the spread of the virus, the Rwanda’s Defense ministry said.
The communique indicates that 100 test kits that were airlifted to Juba in South Sudan were handed over to UNMISS officials in Juba.
It is aimed at increasing the mission’s capacity to test and treat staff, and the remaining testing kits will be soon availed.
Brig Gen Eugene NKUBITO, Rwanda Senior Representative in UNMISS and Sector Juba Commander handed over those medical kits to UNMISS on behalf of the Rwandan government.
It is expected that the medical kits will contribute to mass testing and sampling for COVID19 within peacekeepers in UNMISS.
“COVID-19 is a common enemy to mankind, and cooperation is the way to defeat the pandemic,” the senior Rwandan military officer said.
The donation of medical kits to the UNMISS comes after Rwanda took measures to test Rwandan peacekeepers under UNMISS including military, Police and Collection Service.
Reports indicate that 1,400 peacekeepers in South Sudan have been tested so far where this activity will continue in other missions where Rwandan peacekeepers are deployed.
Rwanda is among the top five UN troop and police contributing countries in international peacekeeping missions.
The Rwandan army maintains 5,860 personnel including troops, staff officers, military observers and liaison officers in peacekeeping missions.
The Rwanda National Police (RNP) – which started peacekeeping deployments in 2005 – has about 1,200 officers serving as peacekeepers in different countries.
CU/as/APA