Donates 36,000 testing kits, 75 ventilators, 331,000 PPEs
Commits N400m for feeding vulnerable communities in 11 states
By Chioma Obinna
Flour Mills of Nigeria Group, FMN Group, has redeemed its initial N1 billion pledge to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the CBN-led Nigerian Private Sector Coalition against COVID-19 even as it donated $1.5 million worth of ventilators, Personal Protective Equipment, PPE, and testing kits to the government.
The thousands of the medical supplies procured from Dubai, United States, Canada, Greece, and China, which started arriving in Nigeria since April 18 in batches will be completely delivered by the end of April 2020.
The first batch of the supplies, which have arrived, sourced through FMN’s global supply chain, focused on the most essential needs of the government at the moment, in a visionary global procurement operation idealized by John Coumantaros, Chairman of FMN Group.
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Speaking on the development, the Group’s Chief Operating Officer, Boye Olusanya explained that the supplies, which will continue to arrive in batches over the next week, would beef up Nigeria’s fight against COVID-19.
He noted that despite procurement restrictions on supplies by several countries to ensure their frontline responders had sufficient supplies, FMN through its global supply chain network ensured that it sourced and procured these critical supplies for Nigeria.
Olusanya added that some of the items on the first batch that have arrived include ventilators, protective equipment, and testing kits, assuring that all the supplies would have arrived and handed over by the end of April.
When fully delivered, the medical supplies will facilitate 100 per day field-testing capacity and 35,000 laboratory-based testing capacity. The supplies also include 331,000 pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) comprising N95 Masks, Coveralls, Protective Gloves, and Protective eyewear enough to provide regular use for 10,000 Nigerian health care professionals over two months.
There are also 75 Ventilators, which will boost Nigeria’s total stock and these supplies will be delivered to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to ramp up the capacity in Nigeria.
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He further said the group has commenced deployment of N400 million worth of food relief packages to vulnerable communities most affected by the lockdown in 11 states.
“To reduce the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak, FMN will continue to work with the Federal Government and related agencies to provide relief materials. The safety of Nigerians is paramount to us, so we encourage all Nigerians to adhere to the necessary protective measures against the virus and its spread.
“FMN relying on its 60-year-old profile as an agro-giant in Nigeria’s critical food value-chains and a significant contributor to Nigeria’s quest to feed itself is bringing its biggest strength to the table, using its global supply chain network to help Nigeria defend itself against COVID-19,” he said.
