ACCRA, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The statutory health body for the West African sub-region has allayed the fears of a possible shortage of medical supplies in the sub-region amid the fight to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
The West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) said in a press release on Thursday that it had been working with its partner organizations across the globe to ensure that the supplies never run out of stock in the region.
WAHO is the institution designated by authorities of the sub-regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS), to lead the coordination, collaboration, and communication in the region with regards to COVID-19 pandemic.
Several actors, including health workers in all the 15 member-states, are being mobilized to save lives. However, there continues to be the challenge of securing sufficient materials, given the disruption in global supply chains, said the organization.
WAHO has since February been providing capacity building for the health sector in its 15 member-states when authorities realized the possibility of the new coronavirus entering the region.
It has so far distributed over 30,000 diagnostic test kits to the member states.
The organization is also in the process of distributing specimen transportation kits,personal protective equipment (PPE), and some medications to the 15 countries.
"WAHO has been very active in bringing together member states to adopt a regional approach to the pandemic and to support them as necessary," the statement said.
Sierra Leone was the latest West African country to record a case of COVID-19.
