Shawdesh Desk:

United States Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller and Embassy representatives of the US military’s Indo-Pacific Command have delivered essential personal protective equipment (PPE) to Kamalapur Railway General Hospital Divisional Medical Officer Dr Ibne Safi Abdul Ahad as part of continued US assistance to Bangladesh’s COVID-19 response efforts.

This is the second in a series of planned PPE distributions from the United States to Bangladesh.

The first distribution, on May 11, provided PPE and medical equipment to the Fire Service and Civil Defense.

The US Embassy Dhaka-donated equipment delivered on Thursday 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.

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 COVID-19, improve rapid diagnosis, increase knowledge and dispel myths and misconceptions about the disease, and support heroic frontline responders, said the US Embassy in Dhaka.

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 COVID-19, said the Embassy.

US Embassy Dhaka said they continue 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.

The latest 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 of COVID-19, 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 emphasizes the long-term US commitment to ensuring access to quality, lifesaving health services for all people in Bangladesh.

The US Embassy Dhaka said it is proud to donate this essential personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Kamalapur Railway General Hospital medical staff working to treat patients and protect local communities against the spread of COVID-19.

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.