By Muhammad Luqman
United States ambassador to Pakistan , Paul Jones Thursday said that his country has committed around $15 million to help Pakistan check spread of the coronavirus pandemic weeks after designating it as a priority country for the COVID-19 assistance.
“I’d like to highlight how together we are protecting those most vulnerable to the economic fallout from coronavirus,” said the ambassador in a video message released by the US Embassy in Islamabad.
He announced a new American contribution of $5 million to support Pakistan’s Ehsaas Emergency Cash Program and a $2.5 million therapeutic food program for children diagnosed with acute malnutrition. He said that since designating Pakistan a priority country for coronavirus assistance, the United States has committed nearly $15 million to Pakistan.
All of these contributions were identified as top priority needs by Pakistani authorities, and they are fully funded by the American people, he said.
He also expressed his appreciation of the many Pakistani expressions of sympathy and support for Americans and said that Americans send with equal sincerity their sympathy and support for Pakistanis who have suffered from coronavirus.
Paul Jones said that US had already provided mobile laboratories for the testing of coronavirus and provided training to the health workers.
