27 Jul The Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons strengthens collaboration with the Ministry of Health to strengthen the fight against COVID19

The Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons, Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, held a working session with the Vice Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mitoha Ondo’o Ayekaba, with representatives of the Marathon Oil company and with heads of the Baney Research Laboratory. The objective of the meeting has been, in the first place, to inform that the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons approves the extension of the Malaria program for three years. And, on the other hand, Minister Gabriel has urged the Laboratory Doctors to focus all their efforts on the fight against the new Coronavirus Covid-1 pandemic.

The Baney Research Laboratory team has presented the Support Plan for COVID19 and explained their strategy to increase the number of daily tests. They have ensured that this weekend more than 40 will be able to be carried out, thus doubling the current ratio. On the other hand, the Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons has confirmed resources to acquire several ultra-fast detection equipment that will allow more than 1000 daily tests to be carried out.

The acquisition of a lot of 1,200,000 kits for the Coronavirus test has also been approved in order to serve the entire population if necessary. “I would like to thank once again the continued support of the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons to the health sector,” declared the Vice Minister of Health and Social Welfare during the meeting.

Dr. Carlos Cortés, head of the Baney Research Laboratory, has presented a report on the current situation of the Coronavirus in Equatorial Guinea, highlighting that to date there have been 6 positive cases -all imported- and that up to now there have been no registered no contagion at the community level.

Communication Office of the Vice Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mitoha Ondo’o Ayekaba