US provides 1mn COVID-19 antigen rapid diagnostic tests to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The United States (US) on Monday handed over 1 million COVID-19 antigen rapid diagnostic tests to Pakistan to help the country in improving its testing facilities, ARY NEWS reported quoting SAPM on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan.

“We are thankful to USAID for providing rapid diagnostic tests to Pakistan,” the SAPM said and added that the aid depicts friendly and bilateral relations between the two countries.

Dr Faisal Sultan said that the rapid testing will help Pakistan to better detect and diagnose the coronavirus, enabling the government to adjust its strategy to curb the spread of COVID.

Director USAID Julie A. Koenen said that the provision of testing facilities will help in curbing COVID-19 in the country.

“It will help in improving the overall health situation and safeguarding and facilitating the health workers,” she said adding that they would also be providing 200 ventilators and US$40 million aid in order to equip health facilities in better dealing with COVID-19.

As Pakistan deals with a surge in Covid-19 cases due to the delta variant, the United States has also announced in late July to send 3 million more doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine.

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The doses sent through COVAX, the United Nations vaccine-sharing mechanism, are in addition to the 2.5 million doses of Moderna already received by Pakistan earlier in July.

Pakistan has deeply appreciated the announcement by the White House to ship 3 million doses of Moderna vaccine to Pakistan through COVAX.