Tehran, 21 July 2020 – The World Health Organization (WHO) has delivered 16 CT scan machines to strengthen Islamic Republic of Iran’s emergency response to COVID-19.

CT scanning is a key component of clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 patients. The units, worth more than US$ 4 million, were procured by WHO through support from the governments of Japan and Kuwait.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, WHO is supporting Islamic Republic of Iran’s efforts to turn the course of the disease. By delivering vital equipment and medicines, training health workers and raising awareness in communities, WHO works with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education to serve the people of Islamic Republic of Iran,” said Dr Christoph Hamelmann, WHO Representative.

Recently, WHO also equipped the country's COVID-19 hospitals with arterial-blood gas (ABG) analyzers — equipment essential for the assessment and monitoring of critically ill patients. Seventy (70) ABG analyzers with the consumables have been procured and delivered so far, with support from the Government of Japan.

Since the start of the pandemic, WHO has supplied tons of personal protective equipment to health workers to help them provide safe care to communities across different parts of the country.

The Organization’s multiple shipments of PCR test kits have also enabled the laboratory network to continue to perform hundreds of thousands of diagnostic tests to early detect infected individuals.

As of 21 July 2020, a total of 278 827 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported in the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the total death toll standing at 14 634. The country’s national laboratory network has conducted 2 201 958 tests so far.