ABU DHABI- The international solidarity has been core in gaining wins in the ongoing fight against the global pandemic, according to a senior Rwandan diplomat.
"Since the Covid-19 outbreak began, the UAE donated to Rwanda 20.8 tonnes of medical supplies, testing kits, ventilators and Covid-19 vaccines. The UAE's support was a much needed shot in the arm for Rwanda’s handling of this global pandemic. It is a testament of solidarity between our two brotherly countries," said Emmanuel Hategeka, Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the UAE.
"The fight against Covid-19 is far from over and Rwanda will not take for granted gains registered in the Covid-19 pandemic management. With the determination of Rwandan citizens, people-centred leadership together with collaboration with partners like the UAE, we shall all win," he reiterated in a statement.
Rwanda reported the first Covid-19 case on 14th March 2020. The country had deployed preparedness and response measures in January 2020, which partly borrowed from measures put in place during the previous outbreaks, including Ebola, in neighbouring countries.
The statement pointed out that Rwanda was able to control the pandemic with systematic steps from the beginning. The country took informed decisions based on science and data. In June 2020, Rwanda shifted the case management approach towards decentralisation and scaling-up capacities for public health and other interventions to respond to Covid-19, using existing platforms such as the use of Community Health Workers among others. This non-conventional approach and the role of community health workers produced good results.