By Tevfik Durul
ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s state-run aid agency on Tuesday sent medical supplies to Peru to help the South American country as the world is battling the coronavirus pandemic.
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) in cooperation with Peruvian International Cooperation Agency (APCI) sent medical supplies to the Regional Hospital of Tumbes.
TIKA in a statement said Peru's Foreign Minister Gustavo Meza-Cuadra and Tumbes Regional Governor Wilmer Florentino Dios Benites attended the handover ceremony of the medical supplies.
Speaking at the ceremony, Meza-Cuadra stressed the significance of cooperation while combating the outbreak and expressed his gratitude to Turkey for its support.
The medical supplies are to be used to provide necessary health care for the people living in the region, especially patients admitted to intensive care units.
In South America, Peru ranks second with more than 68,000 coronavirus cases recorded after Brazil.
In Peru, which ranks 14th on the list of the coronavirus spreading across the world, 1,961 people have died from COVID-19 so far.
- Pakistan receives medical aid, hygiene supplies
In a separate statement, TIKA also announced that it sent medical and hygiene supplies to Pakistan's Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital amid the pandemic.
The communique said a total of 12,500 pieces of supplies including surgical masks, KN95 protective masks, COVID-19 test kits and disinfectants were sent to the hospital in Muzaffargarh area.
Hospital's Chief Physician Dr. Javed Irfan expressed his gratitude to Turkey and TIKA for their support.
The 400-bed hospital is among the three major facilities treating the coronavirus patients in the southern part of the province. It serves as a pandemic hospital.
After originating in China last December, COVID-19 has spread to at least 187 countries and regions. Europe and the US are currently the worst-hit regions.
The pandemic has killed over 286,500 worldwide, with total infections more than 4.19 million, while recoveries exceeding 1.46 million, according to figures compiled by the US’ Johns Hopkins University.
*Writing by Merve Aydogan