Jack Ma, Asia’s richest man, pledged 1.8 million face masks, 210,000 test kits and 36,000 protective suits plus ventilators and thermometers to combat the outspread of coronavirus in Afghanistan and 9 other Asian countries.
“Go Asia! We will donate emergency supplies (1.8M masks, 210K test kits, 36K protective suits, plus ventilators & thermometers) to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan & Sri Lanka. Delivering fast is not easy, but we’ll get it done!,” the Chinese billionaire and founder of Alibaba Group and Jack Foundation said in a Twitter post.
The Ministry of Public Health of Afghanistan has so far recorded 22 positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) across the country.
However, the virus is rapidly spreading in some of the developing countries including Pakistan where the authorities have recorded 510 confirmed cases.
The latest announcement by Jack Ma is being made at a time when there are growing concerns that the massive return of Afghan refugees from Iran could result into further outspread of the disease in Afghanistan. Citing the International Organization for Migration (IOM), The Middle East Eye reported that more than 19,000 Afghans left Iran and entered the Western Afghan provinces of Herat and Nimroz during the first week of March.
The Afghan refugees reportedly left Iran after facing discrimination and prejudice when seeking health services.