The De Beers Group yesterday handed over a Covid-19 testing machine as part of the N$15 million in-kind donation made by the company to the government. The machine was delivered to the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) yesterday and handed over to health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula by Debmarine Namibia CEO Otto Shikongo and Daniel Kali, the resident director of the De Beers Group. The extraction machine has the capacity of 32 tests per run, while the PCR machine has a capacity of 96 tests per run. “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,” De Beers Group CEO Bruce Cleaver said in a message. “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.” Accepting the donation on behalf of government, Shangula expressed appreciation for the donation and said the machine will be vital in the country’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, personal protective equipment, fridges, freezers, as well as an uninterrupted power supply units. The De Beers Group has used its global supply chain network to expedite delivery of this machine, amidst an unprecedented demand for these machines globally. The group plans to make further deliveries of essential medical equipment in the coming weeks.