Kingston - Today the United States Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID),  delivered a first tranche of emergency equipment to the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) to support the Government of Jamaica’s (GOJ) response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The equipment is part of the US $1,000,000 in assistance USAID is providing to Jamaica to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. “The United States is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with decisive action,” said U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica, Donald Tapia. “Our priorities in this response are to protect the safety and health  of the Jamaican people by providing high-quality, transparent and meaningful assistance.”

The handover was a first in a series of planned transfers of critical equipment to the GOJ. Equipment delivered today included:

•  50 VHF radios
•  6 Laptops
• 50 Mobile phones
• 1000 Digital body thermometer
• 100 Infrared Thermometers
• 43 Samsung Galaxy tablets and cases
• 500 Backpacks

The equipment bolsters the Government of Jamaica’s COVID-19 emergency response and directly aids activities that are vital for helping to #flattenthecurve. The communication and IT equipment will play a vital role in supporting the ministry’s Emergency Operations Center, which is critical for coordinating the country’s efforts. The thermometers will support disease case management and infection control in health care settings and at point of entry, and the backpacks will enhance health care workers’ ability to engage communities and conduct field work.

This assistance builds upon U.S. investments of nearly US$87 million in health and nearly US$619 million total over the past 20 years for Jamaica.

For decades, the United States has been the world's largest provider of bilateral assistance in public health. Since 2009, American taxpayers have generously made available more than $100 billion dollars in health assistance and nearly $70 billion in humanitarian assistance globally.

For more information about USAID’s response to COVID-19, please visit: coronavirus-covid-19