Nigeria and fifty-three other African countries would receive 500,000 coronavirus test kits and 300 ventilators donated by Ali Baba Foundation to African Union Member States, The PUNCH reports.Also donated to fight the pandemic in Africa were 4.6m masks, 200,000 clothing sets, 200,000 face shields, 2,000 thermal guns, 100 body temperature scanners and 500,000 pairs of gloves.Interestingly, while South Africa had conducted 114,711 COVID-19 tests, Ghana 60,916 tests, Egypt 55,000 tests, Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, had only conducted 7,153 tests.The Founder of Ali Baba Group, Jack Ma, who made this revelation on Monday, said the donation was the third batch to Africa and it would be dispatched immediately to the African Centres for Disease Control for further distribution to AU Member States.Africa has recorded over 20,000 coronavirus cases and over 1000 attendant deaths.On March 16, the philanthropist had donated his first batch of medical supplies comprising 20,000 test kits, 100,000 masks, 1,000 medical protective suits and face shields to each of the 54 AU Member States.Also, on April 6, Jack Ma dispatched his second donation to Africa which included 500 ventilators, 200,000 suits and face shields, 2,000 thermometers, one million swabs, and extraction kits as well as 500,000 gloves.The supplies were distributed by Ethiopian Airlines and Nigeria’s share was delivered at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
