Jack Ma to make second donation of medical equipment to 54 African nations this week

CHINESE billionaire Jack Ma has revealed that he will making a second donation of medical equipment and drugs to Nigeria and 53 other African nations to help them combat the menace of the global coronavirus pandemic.

Last month, Mr Ma, China's wealthiest man, donated equipment to 54 African nations, with Nigeria's batch being delivered to the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos. He now intends backing this up with a further donation, which will soon arrive in Ethiopia, the headquarters of African Union, for onward distribution to countries across the continent.

According to Mr Ma, the second consignment includes 500 ventilators, 200,000 suits and face shields, 200,000 thermometers, 1m swabs and extraction kits and 500,000 gloves. Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, confirmed receipt of the first dispatch a few weeks ago.

It is expected that this latest batch of medical supplies will arrive in Nigeria later this week. Last month, the original batch was delivered to Nigeria by an Ethiopian Airlines specially chartered plane and it is expected that the same company will be used again this time.