USAID and Bhutan Foundation provide COVID-19 support

Staff Reporter

Her Majesty Gyalyum Ashi Tseyring Pem Wangchuck, the Co-Chair of the Bhutan Foundation, handed over health equipment, medical transport vehicles, and PPE worth Nu. 19.55 million to the Ministry of Health, Royal Government of Bhutan this week.

The donation includes an autoclave machine, 110 oxygen cylinders, a bio-decontamination machine, two medical trucks, and 17,368 N95 masks for medical use. The Foundation hopes this support will strengthen Bhutan’s healthcare system in response to an increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

A statement from the foundation stated that the support is part of the $1 million in assistance USAID – US Agency for International Development provided to the Bhutan Foundation to strengthen Bhutan’s healthcare capacity for pandemic prevention, readiness, and response, and support microenterprises.

Further, it stated that the activity is helping Bhutan increase its diagnostic laboratory capabilities and clinical case management, providing virtual training for health care providers and lab personnel, and developing communications materials on COVID-19.