30 new ventilators add to the public capacities thanks to the support from the governments of Switzerland, Norway and UNDP. The Minister of Health and Social Protection, Ogerta Manastirliu, attended the delivery ceremony for the new life-saving equipment, saying this is a support aimed at strengthening the intensive care service in our country.

“The 30 respirators delivered under this agreement really represent a significant support to our efforts to strengthen the intensive care service in our country. A part of the respirators that were provided today will further boost the intensive care service at the infectious diseases hospital. A part of them will be delivered to Shefqet Ndroqi University Hospital and we will continue enhancing capacities of other hospital centres that we have named as Covid hospitals,” Manastirliu said.

In her remarks, Health Minister Manastirliu reiterated her appeal to the citizens to comply with the rules as the only way to stem the spread of the virus in our country.

“It is vitally important to maintain and respect those seemingly simple measures, but which must become part of our lives, namely physical distancing, maintaining personal hygiene, mandatory use of the face masks when maintaining physical distance is not possible,” Manastirliu said.

The Ambassador of Norway to Albania, Jens Erik Grondahl, Deputy Head of Mission in the Embassy of Switzerland, Patrik Meier, and the UNDP Resident Representative, Limya Eltayeb, attended the ceremony.

“I want to say that I am very pleased to these ventilators now coming to Albania. I have heard these are exactly the equipment you need. In times of the pandemic, solidarity and international cooperation is very important,” the Norwegian Ambassador to Albania Jens Erik Grondahl said.

“I congratulate everyone here, because pandemics like this need a common approach. Switzerland has been active in the health sector of Albania for a long time. We really want to continue assisting Albanian government and further strengthen health sector,” the Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy of Switzerland Patrik Meier said.

“We all need to remain very vigilant. We all as international community have a responsibility, but every citizen has their own responsibilities. I hope we all come together in doing what we need to do to fight. The pandemic is not over yet. I think we need to go beyond solidarity, because, as I have been saying over the past week, nobody is safe unless everyone is safe,” the UNDP Resident Representative Limya Eltayeb said.

The Government of Switzerland has donated 330,000 USD, the Norwegian Government has provided approximately 300,000 USD, and UNDP 150,000 USD.