Coronavirus response: The Republic of Moldova receives continued support following request to NATO’s EADRCC
Romania, Lithuania, Slovakia and NATO’s partner Austria are the latest countries to assist the Republic of Moldova in order to deal with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their support follows a request for assistance from the Republic of Moldova through NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC).
On 7 May 2020, the Romanian Government delivered humanitarian aid to the Republic of Moldova amounting to EUR 3.5 million in the form of medical equipment, medicines and other medical supplies. The items were assigned to medical facilities in different regions of the country.
A medical team comprising 52 healthcare professionals, including 41 doctors and nurses from the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of National Defence was deployed to the Republic of Moldova from 30 April to 16 May. They supported efforts to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic in the capital city Chișinău, as well as in Bălți and Cahul. Also in May, local authorities in Romania including from the Iași City Hall made available financial support and personal protective equipment for medical staff in the Republic of Moldova. Earlier, in April, the Association of Romanian Investors in the Republic of Moldova donated protective equipment for personnel working at border crossing points in the Republic of Moldova.
On 7 May, the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs granted a financial donation of EUR 50,000 to Moldova as an extraordinary contribution from the resources of the Slovak Agency for International Development SlovakAid. The donation will be used for the purchase of medical protection equipment for five municipal hospitals of the capital city Chisinau. This month the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced that Slovakia will provide targeted financial donations to smaller health facilities in the Republic of Moldova including in Drochia, Tiraspol and Ceadir-Lunga for the purchase of medical supplies.
On 14 May the Lithuanian Air Force delivered protective face shields to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Moldova. The face shields were manufactured by Lithuanian digital printing companies as part of the effort to respond to neighbouring countries’ request for medical supplies to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the assistance offered by NATO partner countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, on 12 May Austria delivered medical items and blankets to the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Moldova.
Earlier in April, the Republic of Moldova received support in the form of medical items from Hungary and from the United States.