AKIPRESS.COM - The U.S. government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing more than 190 million soms ($2,500,000) to support the Kyrgyz Republic’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S Embassy in Bishkek said.

This funding will improve infection control in health care facilities, testing, diagnostics, and help inform the public about risks of COVID-19. These priority areas and interventions were designed in consultations with the Ministry of Health and the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic.

This assistance will be administered through USAID’s Local Health Systems Sustainability Program implemented by Abt Associates. The project will support hospitals and other healthcare facilities to make sure they have the right measures in place in order to prevent or stop the spread of the infection. The new funding will also help Kyrgyzstan’s authorities find new active cases more effectively and inform the public about the risks of COVID-19. The program may procure additional medical supplies to control the disease, if needed.

This funding is in addition to the initial emergency assistance provided by USAID in the spring of 2020. In March, USAID donated personal protective equipment for health workers across the country and provided a grant of over 95 million soms ($1.23 million) to support the Kyrgyz Republic’s early response to the pandemic.