Georgia receives 400,000 COVID-19 tests, 50 ventilators with World Bank support
Under the World Bank COVID-19 response operation, 30 critical care ventilators have been procured for hospitals around the country, as well as 20 mobile emergency ventilators for ambulance vehicles. Photo: Ministry of Health.
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With $80 million in support from the World Bank’s Emergency COVID-19 Response project, the government of Georgia has been able to procure 147,000 rapid COVID-19 antibody and antigen test kits and 250,000 PCR tests, which will triple Georgia's testing capacity to 3,000 samples per day by mid-July, announces the World Bank.
Under the World Bank COVID-19 response operation, 30 critical care ventilators have been procured for hospitals around the country, as well as 20 mobile emergency ventilators for ambulance vehicles.
The World Bank's total financing package for Georgia COVID-19 response will be over $200 million, which will help the government address health and social impacts, protect jobs and businesses affected by the pandemic and ensure Georgia’s progress in implementing reforms," said World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus, Sebastian Molineus.
In addition, in vitro diagnostic medical devices will be delivered to the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia, announced the World Bank.
The $80 million Emergency COVID-19 Response project was approved on May 1, 2020.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a €400,000 (about $451,996) loan for Georgia to purchase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) equipment and tests, which is the ‘gold standard’ in testing for the coronavirus.
Over 50 inhabitants will undergo mandatory PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing for the coronavirus in Georgia’s eastern Mushevani village, which has been on strict lockdown due to an outbreak of the virus since April 25. The results of the tests will become known on June 25, which will play a crucial role in removing the quarantine-zone status for the village of Mushevani.
One-fifth (20.5% = 762,621) of the Georgian population, who are of retirement age, are at high or moderate risk in terms of the new coronavirus pandemic, reads the Georgian government’s report about the measures taken against the Covid-19.
Georgia has tested 60, 273 people for coronavirus in Georgia between January 30 and June 3 with the use of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests, which is the ‘gold standard’ in testing the virus.
The Ministry of Heath of Georgia reports that 2,000 doses of Tocilizumab, produced by Hetero Biopharma Limited, and 500 doses of Ronapreve monoclonal antibodies produced by Roche were delivered to the country today. Tocilizumab and Ronapreve are used to treat severely and critically ill patients infected with COVID-19.