USA provides four mobile laboratories for COVID-19 testing

ISLAMABAD: The U.S. government provided four mobile laboratories to the National Institute of Health to increase Pakistan’s capacity to identify COVID-19 and other infectious illnesses, especially in distant places where access to testing may be limited.

The state-of-the-art facilities will increase the accuracy of diagnoses, minimize the testing turnaround time, and better safeguard healthcare employees. U.S. Ambassador Donald Blome and Abdul Qadir Patel, federal health minister, attended the transfer event, along with officials from the Federal Ministry of Health.

Addressing Pakistani health authorities and health workers at the handover occasion, Ambassador Blome complimented them for their strong response to the COVID-19 epidemic and emphasized Pakistan’s successful vaccination initiatives to inoculate its inhabitants rapidly.

He commented on the success of the U.S-Pakistan partnership to develop health care systems as part of the 75 years of bilateral relations between the two nations. Today’s funding strengthens this relationship by equipping Pakistan with additional instruments to respond rapidly to future threats.

“These mobile laboratories will boost the diagnostic capabilities of the provincial health departments,” Ambassador Blome added. 

“They will help the government to respond swiftly and efficiently in hard-to-reach rural locations during emergencies, or an outbreak and epidemic.”

Abdul Qadir Patel formally accepted the mobile laboratories given via the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). 

He expressed thanks for the U.S. government’s assistance in enhancing health care in Pakistan as a reflection of the strong bilateral relations between Pakistan and the United States.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, USAID has worked to save lives and restrict the outbreak in more than 120 nations, including Pakistan. 

USAID’s continuous assistance offers disaster relief, enhances health systems, promotes vaccination preparedness and distribution, improves public health education, and protects health care employees and facilities.

The United States has donated almost 61.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccinations to Pakistan, one million COVID-19 fast diagnostic tests, and crucial health supplies and training to health professionals. 

These initiatives are part of the roughly $70 million in direct help and $9.2 million of in-kind support that the U.S. government has contributed to aid the Pakistani people.