US sends medical supplies to Pakistan to combat Covid

Flight will bring 1,200 pulse oximeters, and 340,000 pieces of PPEs for healthcare staff

WASHINGTON:

The United States has airlifted emergency medical supplies to Pakistan to help save lives and stop the spread of coronavirus and continue to meet the urgent health needs across South Asia, according to an official announcement here on Thursday.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) said in a press release that the flight will bring 1,200 pulse oximeters, and 340,000 pieces of personal protective equipment for healthcare professionals in Pakistan.

The United States, through USAID has airlifted emergency medical supplies to Pakistan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka to help save lives and stop the spread of coronavirus and continue to meet the urgent health needs across South Asia, an official announcement said.

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“The US continues to support South Asia in responding to the Covid-19 crisis, and we are working non-stop to help manage the devastating effects of the pandemic,” US Secretary of State Blinken wrote on Twitter.

The USAID press release stated that the United States and Pakistan had worked together closely to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, and “this donation is being made at Islamabad’s request”. The US had allocated $40 million to Pakistan for Covid-19 response assistance.

The US support, including a donation of 200 ventilators, has benefited more than 2.5 million Pakistanis, providing life-saving treatments, strengthening case-finding and surveillance, and mobilising innovative financing to bolster emergency preparedness, the press release added.