By Adnan Rafique
Islamabad: In partnership, Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority and the United States Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), are working together to fight COVID-19 by contributing a second shipment of 100 respiratory ventilators.
According to a press release of the American Embassy, the ventilators arrived here on July 28 and will be deployed in hospitals across Pakistan.
The arrival of these ventilators delivers on President Donald Trump’s promise to Prime Minister Imran Khan to stand with the people of Pakistan and bring additional critically needed supplies and support to Pakistan’s urgent response to the pandemic.
The first 100 ventilators arrived on July 3 and have already been delivered to hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout Pakistan.
“The United States is a proud partner with the Government of Pakistan to help stem the tide of this deadly pandemic and these ventilators will help with that fight,” said Ambassador Paul W. Jones.
The ventilators can also be used to provide non-invasive respiratory therapy for patients before they become critically ill and help avoid the need for more extreme care.
In addition, these ventilators can help treat a number of other respiratory ailments outside of the COVID-19 virus, including pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Through a specialized training program developed with the National Disaster Management Authority and the Federal and Provincial Ministries of Health, and with funding from USAID, Pakistan will have a stronger arsenal with which to fight COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.
The U.S-Pakistan long-standing partnership in the health sector is strengthening the country’s ability to fight coronavirus by improving and expanding laboratory testing, disease monitoring, case tracking, infection prevention and control, and patient care.
The United States is contributing more than $28 million in new funding so far for COVID-19 response to this vital partnership that is growing every day.
