LAHORE: The United States (US) will contribute $15 million to new funding in its joint efforts with Pakistan to fight Covid-19 and its economic impacts.

“The US has now committed nearly $15 million in new funding to our joint efforts to fight coronavirus and its economic impacts,” says US Ambassador to Pakistan Paul Jones in a letter to PML-N President and National Assembly Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif. “We are actively working with Pakistani authorities on additional contributions to meet urgent needs.”

Mr Jones said President Trump and Prime Minister Imran Khan recently discussed a coordinated response to coronavirus.

“The United States and Pakistan are actively collaborating to mitigate the economic fallout, while expanding our health partnership to stop the spread of the virus. We are taking new steps together to protect those most vulnerable.”

He said first, the US was making a new contribution of $5 million to support Pakistan’s Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme, which would provide almost 70,000 eligible families extra support to buy food and essentials. Besides, he said the US had delivered 336 metric tons of ready-to-use therapeutic food for children diagnosed with acute malnutrition, and equipment for 50 health facilities to treat malnutrition, in collaboration with UNICEF and the government of Pakistan.

“Our previously announced joint efforts include mobile labs for coronavirus hotspots, training for health care workers, upgrades of provincial emergency operations centers, and support for refugee and host communities. We are very grateful for the many Pakistani expressions of sympathy and support for Americans in this difficult time. We send with equal sincerity our sympathy and support for Pakistanis who have suffered. Together, we will defeat this virus and rebuild our prosperity and freedom,” Mr Jones said.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2020