ISLAMABAD: The United States government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Thursday presented 36 vehicles to the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)’s Health Department to help strengthen tracking and management of infectious diseases, including Covid-19.
US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome and KP Minister for Health and Finance Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra led the handing over ceremony at KP Governor’s House, said a press release here.
“This year marks the 75th anniversary of US-Pakistan partnership,” remarked US Ambassador Donald Blome. “We are proud of our contributions to improve lives here in KP, and we are committed to making the world a better place for the Pakistani people. With these vehicles and the training provided by USAID, KP health professionals are better equipped to provide accurate and timely information in remote locations and help health officials make informed decisions to protect the public.”
Taimur thanked Donald Blome for his visit and extended support. He extended his gratitude for USAID support in different health interventions on behalf of the KP government.
Talking to the media, Taimur said, “The KP Department of Health is grateful to USAID for the timely support of vehicles provided to all District Diseases Surveillance and Response Units in KP.
These 36 vehicles will be fully utilized for COVID-19 surveillance as well as for vaccination campaign monitoring. We cherish our partnership with USAID for strengthening the health system in the province.”
Across Pakistan, the US has donated 61 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to date, with an additional 16 million pediatric doses announced and expected to arrive soon. Since the start of pandemic, the US government has provided nearly $70.4 million in direct support and $13.8 million in in-kind support to assist the Pakistani people in the fight against COVID-19, with another $20 million planned to support further vaccination efforts in Pakistan.
The US has also provided 200 ventilators for 64 Pakistani hospitals, which increased Pakistan’s respiratory care capacity by 30 percent, and trained 400 healthcare workers on how to operate these ventilators. At the provincial level, the US, though USAID, provided disease surveillance and response teams in all 155 districts across Pakistan and supported the reconfiguration of a ‘HealthAlert’ phone application for healthcare workers to report new cases of COVID-19 in rural areas.
