The Republic of Korea sent the first batch of humanitarian aid to Kazakhstan in the form of PCR tests to combat COVID-19
21.10.2020

The Republic of Korea sent the first batch of humanitarian aid to Kazakhstan in the form of PCR tests to combat COVID-19.

Today, First Vice Minister of Health Marat Shoranov met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of Kazakhstan Koo Hong-seok.

Also, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the General Director of the National Center of Expertise of the KKKBTU of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kanat Balykbaev took part in this meeting.

During the meeting, the parties discussed issues of further development of bilateral cooperation, within the framework of which the Korean side provided humanitarian assistance to combat the spread of coronavirus infection in Kazakhstan. 

The first batch of a total of 388 PCR test kits “2019-nCOV Assay” produced by the Korean company “Seegene” arrived in Almaty on October 19, 2020. This will allow for 38,800 tests.

“ We have long-standing friendly partnerships with the Republic of Korea in various areas, including in the field of healthcare. During such a difficult period of the pandemic, we especially appreciate the support of the Korean country and let me express our gratitude to the top leadership of South Korea for the humanitarian assistance provided in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 in the Republic of Kazakhstan. I am confident that our friendly relations, as well as the strategic partnership between our countries, will only strengthen and develop on the basis of mutual understanding ,” First Vice Minister of Health Marat Shoranov emphasized during the meeting.

According to Kanat Balykbaev, today more than 3 million laboratory tests have been performed in Kazakhstan for the presence of coronavirus infection COVID-19. He noted that additional resources have been mobilized in order to effectively combat the pandemic. For example, the National Center of Expertise employs more than 1,500 employees in diagnosing COVID-19.

The second batch of humanitarian aid from the Republic of Korea will arrive in Kazakhstan before the end of October 2020. These will be 72 oxygen concentrators, 50 monitors for patients, which were purchased through the WHO global supply chain. And the last, third batch of humanitarian aid - protective masks of the FFP2 standard made in Korea is at the stage of formation for its speedy arrival in Kazakhstan.

“ At a time when in a number of European and Central Asian countries there is a tendency for the situation with the spread of the pandemic to worsen, the Government of Kazakhstan is thoroughly preparing for a possible second wave of the pandemic. I hope that this humanitarian assistance from the Government of the Republic of Korea will contribute to the process of preparing Kazakhstan for the second possible wave of the COVID-19 pandemic ,” said Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Koo Hong-seok.

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