The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has delivered 52 respiratory ventilators to the Sindh government for coronavirus patients. According to health department officials, the ventilators worth $800,000 were handed over to the provincial government in a ceremony and will be installed in six hospitals and Sindh Rescue and Medical Services across the province. The virtual handing over ceremony was attended by United States Consul General in Karachi Robert Silberstein, Sindh Minister of Health and Population Dr Azra Pechuho, Secretary of the Health department Dr Kazim Jatoi, USAID Director for Sindh and Balochistan James Parys, USAID Health advisor Dr Shabir Chandio, Country Director Chemonics International Dr Muhammad Tariq and Dr Tanweer Hussain of USAID Global Health Supply Chain Programme. The contribution was part of the 200 ventilators delivered to Pakistan by the US, which were distributed through a partnership with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). “Being a long-standing partner, USA is proud to have supported Pakistan and the provincial government of Sindh in this united effort,” the US Consul general said, while addressing participants in the virtual session. “These compact and easily deployable ventilators will contribute to Pakistan’s overall response to the Covid-19 outbreak by increasing the capacity of Sindh Health Department to provide advanced life support for critical patients,” he added. The ventilators can also be used to provide non-invasive respiratory therapy for patients before they become critically ill and help avoid the need for extreme care. In addition, these ventilators can help treat a number of other respiratory ailments outside of the COVID-19 virus, including pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. During the ceremony Dr Tanveer Hussain revealed that the ventilators would be installed in Civil Hospital Karachi, Sindh Rescue and Medical Services Karachi, Dow University Hospital (OJHA Campus), National Institute of Child Health (NICH), Infectious Disease Hospital Nipa, Dow Dental Hospital Gulistan- e-Johar and Services Hospital Karachi. “The initiative has been taken following the communication between Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Donald Trump some time ago,” Dr Hussain said, adding that the US government has been supporting Pakistan in various sectors including health and education. The ceremony was informed that in partnership with health authorities, USAID is also sponsoring the training of doctors and paramedics to operate the ventilators in order to help patients in need. The partnership also helps to improve and expand laboratory testing, disease monitoring, case tracking, infection prevention and control, and patient care across the country.
