https://arab.news/44jqk
- The planes were carrying medical supplies and protective equipment
- Tunisia’s health minister thanked Saudi Arabia for the assistance
RIYADH: Two Saudi relief planes arrived in Tunisia on Wednesday, the first aircraft of an air bridge set up by the Kingdom to help the North African tackle a coronavirus outbreak.
The planes, operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), arrived following directives from King Salman, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The planes took off in the morning from Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport carrying medical supplies and protective equipment.
The aid was sent in response to a request from Tunisian President Kais Saied to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday.
Infections in the country are rapidly rising and the country’s health care system is being overwhelmed.
The aid includes respirators, oxygen tanks, medical beds and patient monitors.
The supplies also include three million surgical masks, one million N95 masks, 500,000 pairs of medical gloves.
Abdul Aziz bin Ali Al-Saqr, Saudi ambassador to Tunisia, said King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were “keen to stand by the Tunisian people to confront the outbreak of this dangerous disease and mitigate its health effects.”
Tunisian Minister of Health, Dr. Fawzi Al-Mahdi, thanked Saudi Arabia for the assistance.
He said his country would immediately begin distributing the aid to Tunisian hospitals.
Nadia Akacha, chief of staff of the Tunisian president said: “The aid provided by the Kingdom would support the efforts of the health ministry to confront the spread of the coronavirus.”
Samer Al-Jutaily, KSrelief spokesman, said the assistance provided by the Kingdom, included securing one million COVID-19 vaccine doses.