Jack Ma to donate coronavirus test kits to Africa

Asia’s richest man, Jack Ma, has pledged to donate 20,000 coronavirus test kits, 100,000 masks and 1,000 protective suits, to each African country to help battle the global coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Ma, the co-founder of Alibaba, sent consignments of medical supplies to the US earlier this month and said he would distribute an additional two million protective masks across Europe.

He released a statement saying the medical supplies would be delivered to Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, and distribution would be overseen by Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed.

Prime Minister Abiy confirmed the partnership via Twitter on Sunday, expressing his gratitude to Mr Ma for his efforts.

“Ensuring COVID-19 preparedness in Africa to mitigate help disasters is critical. Jack Ma and I agreed this morning on ways of working together to halt the spread of COVID-19 on the continent”, he said.

Mr Ma’s statement told how as “members of the global community, it will be irresponsible of us to sit on the fence, panic, ignore facts, or fail to act. We need to take action now”.

Both the billionaire’s foundations, the Jack Ma Foundation and the Alibaba Foundation, will also provide online material to medical institutions across Africa offering clinical treatment information.

Although Africa has not seen the same infection levels as the rest of the world, the continent is experiencing more positive cases each day.

Some countries, like Kenya and South Africa, have already implemented strict measures, such as closing schools and travel restrictions, in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

The greatest fear is that Africa’s weak health systems will not be able to cope as well as those in the West or Asia.

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