US commits add’l $1.3-M funding for PH Covid-19 response

The US Embassy in Manila last March announced its initial USD2.7 million response aid to the Philippines.  (File photo: U.S. Embassy in the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA – The United States government on Thursday announced an additional USD1.3 million (approximately PHP66.3 million) health assistance to the Philippines, bringing its total aid to the country’s fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) to USD4 million.

“This US government support to the Philippine Department of Health for its Covid-19 response demonstrates our longstanding commitment to our Philippine friends, partners, and allies in times of need,” US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim said.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is expected to intensify coordination with the Department of Health and other stakeholders to control the outbreak in the Philippines, which already recorded 5,453 Covid-19 infections as of April 15.

Through the funding, USAID will augment its support for the country’s laboratory systems; intensify case-finding and event-based surveillance; fortify systems to prevent and control infections; expand risk communication, and support Filipino and international technical experts to enhance response and preparedness.

The aid also seeks to enable the Philippines to expand its testing capacity and provide more Filipinos and health care providers access to the latest and most accurate information about the pandemic.

The US Embassy in Manila last March announced its initial USD2.7 million response aid to the Philippines.