The US on Friday said it is helping Pakistan in its fight against coronavirus with more than USD 8 million in new contribution.
The US embassy here said Ambassador Paul Jones discussed several new ways with the government and said Washington was partnering with Islamabad to combat the coronavirus pandemic which has infected over 7,000 people and killed more than 130.
With more than USD 8 million in new contributions, the United States is collaborating with the Government of Pakistan to help stop the spread of coronavirus nationwide and to care for afflicted people, the US mission said in a video message.
All of these contributions were identified as top priority needs by the Pakistani authorities, and they are fully paid for by the American people, according to the statement.
This funding will be utilised for a number of activities, including providing three new mobile labs so that Pakistanis living in virus hotspots can be tested, treated and monitored through USD 3 million in contributions.
It would also be used to fund high-tech emergency operation centers in Islamabad, Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan with USD 1 million.
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The support will help expand partnership with USD 2 million to train community healthcare workers to assist people in their homes to lessen the burden on hospitals.
It will also be used to conduct life-saving activities in Afghan refugee and host communities in Pakistan with USD 2.4 million, administered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
What I've described today is the latest chapter in a long, vibrant US-Pakistan health partnership, said Ambassador Jones.
He said the latest support builds on US contributions over the past 20 years of more than USD 1.1 billion in the health sector, and more than USD 18.4 billion overall to the US-Pakistan development partnership.
Together, we can stop the spread of this deadly disease to protect our loved ones and regain our prosperity and freedom, Jones added.