New COVID-19 response unit to be established – President Ali

DPI, Guyana, Saturday, August 08, 2020

His Excellency, Mohamed Irfaan Ali has announced that his PPP/C government will be dismantling the politically established National Covid-19 Task Force.

The Head of State said the country’s response to the pandemic will now be guided by a collaborative policy to address medical responses and to create a COVID-19 impact socio-economic plan.

Speaking at his inauguration ceremony, President Ali explained that this new COVID Response Unit will include Government policymakers, represented by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health, and our regional and international partners such as CARICOM, PAHO, and UNDP.

According to His Excellency, the immediate tasks of the new response COVID-19 task force will be crafting a socio-economic plan to address the response to the pandemic’s effects on citizens.

The unit will be guided by a collaborative policy to address medical responses and to create a COVID-19 impact socio-economic plan for our people.

“Every life in our nation matters, and my Government will ensure that every life is protected from harm.  The COVID-19 pandemic has already claimed too many lives,” the Head of State emphaisied.

 “Everything possible must be done to protect our people from this dreaded and dreadful disease.  That is why, as President, I will personally and urgently participate in my Government’s programme to stop infection by the coronavirus, curb its spread, and safeguard the health of our nation,” he further added.

Since taking office, in just one week, the government has mobilised and received 46,000 rapid antibody-test kits, Personal Protection Equipment, approximately 240,000 surgical masks, and face shields, gowns and other urgently needed supplies.

In addition, he disclosed that the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Mia Mottley, has sent 15,000 PCR test kits.

“By next week, we should receive another 10,000 PCR kits from PAHO with a commitment to supply an additional 40,000 PCR kits.  We have accessed three PCR testing machines with two more being sourced, and plans are in motion to train persons, including persons from the hinterland areas, in the use of the PCR machines and rapid test kits,” the President stated.

The NCTF was set up in March to coordinate the then government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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