Egypt has provided medical aid worth nearly $1.6 million to ten African countries to help them fight the coronavirus pandemic and is preparing for two more batches worth $2.2 million, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told the African Union (AU) during a meeting on Thursday.

The virtual meeting, which included the leaders of African states and the chairs of AU regional economic communities (RECs), dealt with the efforts exerted to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Addressing the meeting, Madbouly said Egypt is preparing its second and third batches of medical aid, with an estimated value of $2.2 million, to be sent to 23 African countries.

The virus has so far infected 1,157,122 people in Africa and caused 26,792 deaths.

The prime minister stressed the necessity that African countries obtain the anticipated vaccines and drugs as soon as they are discovered.

Madbouly also said that international financial institutions, Africa's partners, and the African and international private sectors should be urged to supply African states with all needed support to overcome the consequences of the pandemic.

He reiterated Egypt's support for establishing an African platform for unified procurement, stressing the country's readiness to exchange expertise to run this platform in light of what he called "the successful Egyptian experience” in establishing the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement.

He said that African companies should be given the priority in offering their products through this platform.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the current AU chair, expressed his appreciation to Egypt for its efforts.