Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The United States (US) Ambassador in Islamabad Paul Jones on Friday announced to contribute more than $8 million to help Pakistan fight the coronavirus pandemic.
In a video statement, he said the country will provide three new mobile labs so Pakistanis living in virus hotspots can be tested, treated and monitored to stop the spread. “We will also fund high-tech emergency operation centers in Islamabad, Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and we will expand our partnership in training community healthcare workers to assist people in their homes to lessen the burden on hospitals,” the envoy said.
“Second, we contributed $2.4 million for new life-saving activities in Afghan refugee and host communities in Pakistan administered by the United Nations Refugee Agency. All of these contributions were identified as top priority needs by Pakistani authorities and they are fully paid by the American people.”
Ambassador Jone said Prime Minister Imran Khan identified another top priority: debt relief. He added the US is a leading supporter of the immediate and exceptional measures just agreed by G20 nations which will provide substantial relief to Pakistan.
