Staff Reporter 

The United States of America has announced USD 500,000 as health assistance for Bhutan to strengthen diagnostic laboratory capabilities and clinical case management, provide virtual training for health care providers and lab personnel, and support risk communications materials.

This assistance builds upon more than USD 6.5 million in total U.S. assistance over the past 20 years, including USD 847,000 in health assistance.

The US State Department announced the contribution on April 16.

This commitment is part of the US Department of State and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) response which has now committed nearly USD 508 million in emergency health, humanitarian, and economic assistance besides other contributions, the US State Department stated.

This funding will support critical activities to control the spread of this disease, such as rapid public-health information campaigns, water and sanitation, and preventing and controlling infections in health-care facilities.

“U.S. government departments and agencies are working together to prioritise foreign assistance based on in-country coordination and the potential for impact,” the State Department’s stated on its website.