The UAE on Friday dispatched a fifth aid aircraft containing 13 metric tons of essential medical supplies to Colombia in a bid to support the efforts of the country to combat the spread of COVID-19. The medical aid will provide assistance to approximately 13,000 medical professionals in Colombia in their efforts to contain the virus transmission.

Responding to the aid delivery, Salem Rashid Al Owais, UAE Ambassador to Colombia, stated that the UAE has been continuously working to strengthen the capacity of Colombia's healthcare sector. He further added that the fifth aid plane was sent to boost their efforts to combat the pandemic crisis.

The UAE had previously sent four aid planes transporting more than 40 metric tons of medical supplies including face masks, gloves, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) along with over 200,000 testing kits. The aid had directly benefited more than 40,000 healthcare professionals in the country.

Al Owais also said that the UAE has been carrying out the aid operation to Colombia over the past few months as part of the determination of the Emirati leadership to stand in support with the friendly nations amid the global battle against the pandemic crisis.

"Sustaining the UAE’s aid air bridge operation to Colombia over the past five months is a testament to the UAE leadership’s determination to stand alongside friendly countries in the exceptional circumstances the world is now facing in battling the pandemic," he added.

To date, the UAE has sent over 1,471 metric tons of aid to 118 countries across the world as part of its humanitarian response against the COVID-19 crisis. The aid support has supported approximately 1.5 million medical professionals in the process.

WAM