The US government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), donated 36 vehicles to the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)’s Health Department to help strengthen the tracking and management of infectious diseases, including Covid-19.
Ambassador of the US to Pakistan Donald Blome handed over the 36 vehicles to KPK health minister Taimur Khan Jhagra.
“We [US] enjoy 75 years long cooperation with Pakistan. Our country is assisting the host population in addressing their public health issues through disease surveillance initiatives and will continue with it,” Ambassador Blome said at the ceremony.
We’re working together for a healthier Pakistan! The U.S. govt is happy to support @HealthKPGovt with 36 vehicles to collect data & lab samples for COVID-19 cases, distribute vaccines & respond to public health emergencies. @JSIHealth #PakUSat75 #AmbBlome @Jhagra pic.twitter.com/KaNwAUCPKo
— USAID Pakistan (@USAID_Pakistan) August 4, 2022
The US has been very active in helping Pakistan boost its effective response to Covid-19. So far, the United States has donated 61 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to date, with an additional 16 million pediatric doses announced and expected to arrive soon.
Read more: Pakistan the worst country to live in during Covid era: Report
Since the start of the 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.
Moreover, the US 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.
Covid resurfacing in Pakistan
After a brief hiatus, Covid is resurfacing again in Pakistan. Health workers being at the front line to fight the battle against COVID-19 has led to 12,358 doctors, 4,897 health workers, and 2,687 nurses infected.
Cases reported in Punjab showed that 3,590 medics had tested positive for the virus. While 29 deaths were recorded. KP had 5,000 health workers testing positive and 49 deaths as a result of COVID-19. In Islamabad, 2,379 COVID-positive cases were recorded among health workers out of which 14 succumbed to the disease.
Read more: Covid-19 causes 30% spike in Pakistan’s mental illnesses
In the regions of Balochistan, Gilgit Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the COVID-positive recorded cases among health workers were 940, 353, and 830 respectively. Among these, Balochistan’s nine health workers passed away as a result. Nine reported deaths in the latter two regions as well.