US pledges $8.4mn for Pakistan coronavirus relief efforts

• This funding will be utilized for a number of activities, including providing three new mobile labs for virus testing, treatment, and monitoring to stop the spread.
• $2 million will be used to train community healthcare workers to assist people in their homes to lessen the burden on hospitals.

The United States has pledged funding of $8.4 million for Pakistan in its efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

In a video message released on U.S. Mission Pakistan’s social media platforms, Ambassador Paul Jones discussed several new ways that the United States is partnering with Pakistan to combat coronavirus.

This funding will be utilized for a number of activities, including providing three new mobile labs for virus testing, treatment, and monitoring to stop the spread, through $3 million in contributions. Funding for high-tech emergency operations centers in Islamabad, Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan with $1 million.

Furthermore, $2 million will be used to train community healthcare workers to assist people in their homes to lessen the burden on hospitals. Lastly, $2.4mn for conducting life-saving activities in the Afghan refugee and host communities in Pakistan, which will be administered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

“What I’ve described today is the latest chapter in a long, vibrant U.S.-Pakistan health partnership.  It builds on U.S. contributions over the past 20 years of more than $1.1 billion in the health sector and more than $18.4 billion overall to the U.S.-Pakistan development partnership.  Together we can stop the spread of this deadly disease to protect our loved ones and regain our prosperity and freedom,” said U.S. Ambassador Paul W. Jones.