De Beers Group donates a COVID-19 testing machine to the Government of Namibia

De Beers Group today donated a COVID-19 testing machine to the Government of Namibia as part of its committed N$15 million in-kind donation in response to the pandemic. The machine was delivered to the Namibia Institute of Pathology Limited (NIP), today Wednesday 6 May 2020. The extraction machine has the capacity of 32 tests per run, while the PCR machine has a capacity of
96 tests per run. Commenting on the donation, De Beers Group CEO, Bruce Cleaver said: “We have long been partners with Namibia and we have enjoyed a lot of success together over the years, but it is in challenging times such as this that we must really pull together. It is difficult to source these important machines in a global market where there are shortages, so we are proud to be able to support Government in its response to COVID-19. We will continue to engage relevant health officials in Namibia to ensure we do all we can to help source and
deliver the much-needed critical health equipment as soon as possible,” he said. Accepting the donation on behalf of Government, Health Minister, Kalumbi Shangula expressed appreciation
for the donation and said the machine will be vital in Government’s efforts to increase testing capabilities. The machine is a LineGene 9600 Plus from Bioer and will be placed at NIP together with various other auxiliary items donated by De Beers Group, including test kits, PPE, fridges, freezers, as well as an Uninterrupted Power Supply Unit, together with lab PC. De Beers Group has used its global supply chain network to expedite delivery of this machine, amidst an unprecedented demand for these machines globally. De Beers Group plans to make further deliveries of essential medical equipment in the coming weeks.