The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on Thursday handed over life-saving commodities worth over $2.1 million (Shs4.2 billion) to support Uganda’s national emergency response to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
The commodities were handed over by USAID Uganda Mission Director Richard Nelson to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Diana Atwiine at the Ministry’s headquarters.
The commodities include oxygen delivery equipment such as cylinders, regulators, and other intensive care unit (ICU) equipment; personal protective equipment (PPE) such as respirators, surgical gloves, and masks; and supplies for infection prevention and control.
According to USAID, the commodities will enable Covid-19 treatment centers across Uganda to provide lifesaving oxygen therapy for critically ill patients, protect health workers while on duty, and allow health facilities to implement infection prevention measures, thereby preventing avoidable infections among staff and patients.
“The United States’ support for Uganda’s COVID-19 response is part of our longstanding investment in the people of Uganda through our work with the Ministry of Health to strengthen the national health system,” said USAID Mission Director Nelson at the handover event.
Nelson noted that, as long as Covid-19 is spreading and generating new variants anywhere, it poses a threat to people everywhere.
“That’s why the United States is committed to supporting COVID-19 response globally until this pandemic ends,” he said.
The United States has committed to donating 1.1 billion vaccine doses worldwide and is the leading financial donor to the COVAX facility that also is providing COVID-19 vaccines to Uganda and many other countries.
The U.S. government has so far donated more than 2.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Uganda, part of the more than 200 million U.S. donated doses delivered globally.
Since the pandemic began, the United States has provided assistance valued at $113 million (nearly Shs402 billion) to support Uganda’s Covid-19 response.
