UNHCR thanks China for PPEs donation to support COVID-19 response for refugees

DAR ES SALAAM, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The UN refugee agency on Friday thanked China for donation of personal protective equipments (PPEs) to support COVID-19 response for refugees and host communities in western Tanzania.

The PPEs were handed over to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative in Tanzania, Mahoua Parums, by the Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, Chen Mingjian, in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

The PPEs worth 1,265 million Tanzanian shillings (about 0.5 million U.S. dollars) included respiratory masks N95, disposable fluid-resistant gowns, medical gloves, eye protection goggles and reusable gumboots to be delivered to refugee camps in the country's western region of Kigoma.

Parums thanked the government of China for the donation, saying it is a demonstration of its solidarity with refugees and support to Tanzania as an important refugee hosting country.

Parums said the PPEs will be used to improve COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures in health facilities in refugee camps and other government health facilities in Kigoma region and beyond for the benefit of refugees and their hosts.

She said as part of the multi-country COVID-19 response program, China has also provided the same assistance to two other east African countries of Kenya and South Sudan through the UN refugee agency.

"As we are all aware, infectious diseases know no borders and do not require visas, hence the importance of approaching it from a regional perspective," said Parums, adding that Tanzania is currently hosting 250,000 refugees, mainly from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Jenitha Ndone, the assistant director for Refugee Services Department in the Ministry of Home Affairs, said the humanitarian aid donated by China to the refugees was a testimony to the long-lasting friendship and cooperation between China and Tanzania.

Chen Mingjian, the Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, said China appreciated the significant role played by the UNHCR in resolving refugee issues.

Since 2020, COVID-19 has brought unprecedented crisis to refugees across the world and also posed severe challenges in refugee protection, she said.

"China will continue to uphold the authority of multilateral mechanism with the United Nations at its core and firmly support UNHCR and other multilateral institutions to play their role in addressing challenges of the refugee issue," said Chen.

She said China will uphold the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, actively deepening cooperation with UNHCR and make continuous contributions to improving global refugee governance.