Turkey sends medical aid to Latin American nations
BUENOS AIRES
Turkey has lent a helping hand to two Latin American countries to help their fights against the coronavirus outbreak.
A shipment of 650 domestically produced respirators from Turkey arrived in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo on June 7.
Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank shared a video of their delivery on Twitter.
He said the intensive care unit respirators produced in Turkey have become ‘the breath of the world.’
According to the Brazilian local media, the 650 respirators are among 1,500 ordered from Turkey and will be distributed to hospitals.
Brazil, the world’s second worst-hit country by COVID-19, has some 673,000 confirmed cases and nearly 36,000 deaths.
Turkey is also sending medical supplies to Paraguay.
The announcement came a day after the two countries signed a cooperation agreement on the health sector, Paraguayan ambassador Ceferino Valdez Peralta told Anadolu Agency in a written statement.
Calling the agreement “a reflection of the excellent relations” between Turkey and Paraguay, he added that it was signed after a request made by his country.
The medical aid includes 50,000 protective suits, 30,000 N95 masks,100,000 surgical masks, 2,000 protective glasses and 50,000 footwear protection covers.
The shipment was sent via Sao Paulo, Brazil and will soon be arriving in Paraguay, said the ambassador.
Paraguay has more than 1,1300 confirmed cases and 11 deaths. It has recorded nearly 580 recoveries.
Turkey has so far delivered aid to nearly 60 countries around the globe to help their fight against the virus.
Turkey exported 2,000 respirators
Meanwhile, during medical supply shortages in many countries worldwide amid the coronavirus pandemic, Turkey managed to manufacture and export some 2,000 life-saving mechanical ventilators around the globe, including 1,500
to Brazil, said Turkey’s technology and industry minister on June 8.
Turkey also developed methods to produce two different medicines which it had previously imported, Mustafa Varank told an online meeting on COVID-19 vaccine and medicine projects.