Malta donates 40,000 COVID-19 vaccines, testing kits to Libya

Air Malta transports 40,000 COVID-19 vaccines and a similar number of rapid testing kits donated by Malta to Libya

COVID-19 vaccines and testing kits being loaded onto an Air Malta plane for onward transport to Libya: Malta has donated 40,000 vaccines and testing kits
COVID-19 vaccines and testing kits being loaded onto an Air Malta plane for onward transport to Libya: Malta has donated 40,000 vaccines and testing kits

Malta has donated 40,000 COVID-19 vaccines and an equal number of rapid testing kits to Libya, a move praised by WHO regional director Hans Kluge.

The boxes with the vaccines and testing kits were flown to Libya this morning on a special Air Malta flight to Tripoli.

Libya has recorded 284,618 COVID-19 infections, including 3,933 deaths, according to the National Disease Control Centre.

Quoting figures supplied by the Libyan health authorities, the Libya Herald reported this week that 862,974 people in Libya had received the vaccine. The north African country has a population of 6.9 million.

Tweeting about Malta’s donation, WHO regional director Hans Kluge thanked Health Minister Chris Fearne and the Maltese government for the solidarity shown with Libya.

“You show that international solidarity and national leadership go hand in hand: no one is safe unless everyone is safe,” Kluge commented.