US provides more essential medical equipment to BD to fight coronavirus
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United States Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller and Embassy representatives of the US military’s Indo-Pacific Command delivered on Friday essential personal protective equipment (PPE) to Kamalapur Railway General Hospita.
The hospital divisional medical officer Dr. Ibne Safi Abdul Ahad received the PPE as part of continued US assistance to Bangladesh’s COVID-19 response efforts.
US Embassy Dhaka coordinated with the Ministries of Health and Railways to distribute the PPE to the COVID-19 response facility, the second in a series of planned distributions, said a media statement.
The first distribution, on May 11, provided PPE and medical equipment to the Fire Service and Civil Defense.
To date, the US government has provided over $25.7 million in assistance to complement the Government of Bangladesh’s ongoing efforts to prepare and respond to the spread of the virus, improve rapid diagnosis, increase knowledge and dispel myths and misconceptions about the disease, and support heroic frontline responders.
US Embassy Dhaka-donated equipment delivered today includes 700 KN95 surgical masks, 500 200-milliliter bottles of hand sanitizer, 500 pairs of surgical gloves, 300 hazardous materials (HAZMAT) suits, 50 face shields, 50 pounds of bleach powder, 10 infrared thermometers, six disinfectant sprayers, and three patient monitor/pulse oximeter machines, all of which were purchased locally from Bangladeshi companies.
The Kamalapur Railway General Hospital is a Government of Bangladesh-designated COVID-19 response facility supporting Bangladesh Ministry of Health (MoH) COVID-19 response efforts.
The PPE will enable hospital staff to protect themselves and patients during treatment while containing the spread of the deadly virus.
US Embassy Dhaka continues working in close partnership with the Government of Bangladesh on a range of programs to identify and alleviate critical medical shortages across the country, including by distributing PPE and other medical supplies to designated COVID-19 medical treatment facilities and first responders.
Today’s delivery of US-funded, locally produced PPE is the second in a series of planned distributions, one of the many initiatives, demonstrating the US government’s continuing commitment to the Bangladeshi people and to promoting mutual understanding and strong partnership between our two countries.
Since the outbreak, the US government has committed more than $900 million worldwide in emergency health, humanitarian, economic, and development assistance specifically aimed at helping governments, international organizations, and NGOs fight the pandemic.
In Bangladesh, the $25.7 million in funding will support response and containment efforts across the country, building on more than $1 billion in health assistance provided to Bangladesh over the past 20 years.
This funding emphasises the long-term US commitment to ensuring access to quality, lifesaving health services for all people in Bangladesh.
The embassy is proud to donate this essential equipment to the Kamalapur Railway General Hospital medical staff working to treat patients and protect local communities against the spread of the virus.
The Hospital’s staff are critical front-line personnel working with first responders to confront this crisis by performing remarkable acts of service every day, as per the statement.