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Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 01, 2020 (SKNIS): The Republic of China (Taiwan) continues to stand in solidarity with St. Kitts and Nevis to fight COVID-19. On August 31, 2020, His Excellency Tom Lee, Taiwan’s Resident Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis, handed over four ventilators and 3000 rapid test kits to assist the Federation in the continued fight against the virus.

“Today, I am very pleased on behalf of the Taiwan Government to make another donation of four ventilators and 3000 rapid test kits. There is no doubt that those two items are very essential especially when St. Kitts and Nevis is scheduled to reopen its borders in October and a lot of preparations and training are undertaken at this time,” said Ambassador Lee.

His Excellency Lee noted that the ventilators serve a dual purpose. They can be used to “treat COVID-19 patients with serious syndromes”, as well as respiratory infections. Additionally, the test kits “can strengthen St. Kitts and Nevis’ preparedness efforts to battle the second wave of COVID-19.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Aviation, the Honourable Mark Brantley, expressed deep appreciation to the Government of Taiwan for the “solidarity and cooperation it continues to offer to the Government and people of St. Kitts and Nevis” in the fight against the Novel Coronavirus.

“This is yet another example of Taiwan’s generosity to us to help us fight COVID-19. Taiwan has been a global model in terms of the fight against COVID-19. It has demonstrated time and time again that it is a significant player with significant ideas to offer to the world and Taiwan has offered its assistance globally,” said the foreign ministers. “Not only to its allies, but friends everywhere have benefited from masks and other equipment.”

Minister Brantley noted that today’s donation is just the “latest manifestation of the cooperation that St. Kitts and Nevis and Taiwan enjoy.”

Minister of Health, the Honourable Akilah Byron-Nisbett, expressed gratitude to the Government and people of Taiwan through Ambassador Lee, noting that the donation will be very beneficial, especially as St. Kitts and Nevis prepares to reopen its borders.

“As we brace ourselves for the reopening of our borders these indeed will come in handy, especially the test kits to help us to be able to better test as persons enter our country. And so, we must say thank you on behalf of the [Government] and people of St. Kitts and Nevis and specifically the Ministry of Health,” said Minister Byron-Nisbett. “This is just another example of the continued support that Taiwan gives to the Ministry of Health and all of the contributions that you continue to make over the years to our continued health, and development of our health sector will not go unnoticed.”

Since the outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, Taiwan has made several donations including 300,000 face masks and other critical medical supplies and equipment to help St. Kitts and Nevis to fight COVID-19.