ReliefWeb

The United States Government has supported the Government of Tajikistan's efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing life-saving equipment, laboratory and medical supplies, technical assistance, and assistance to Tajik migrants in need.

As of June 25, 2020, the U.S. assistance totaled more than $5 million as detailed below.

• The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has allocated nearly $1.2 million to help Tajikistan respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. This assistance is being used to strengthen Tajikistan's health system; procure urgent supplies that support infection-prevention and control; improve the capacity of Tajik laboratories, improve COVID-19 surveillance, rapid response, case management, and fund the development and enhancement of public health outreach, including risk communication and community engagement.

• USAID also provided critically needed personal protective equipment. This equipment was not meant to cover the entirety of needs for an outbreak but rather to provide a stopgap measure to protect healthcare workers. On March 12, USAID provided 12,000 masks, 12,000 examination gloves, 1,400 gowns, and 400 safety goggles valued at $2,663.

• In April, USAID provided $866,000 funding to prepare the country's laboratory systems for large-scale testing and to control infections in health-care facilities.

• In April, USAID, in collaboration with the local organization, Avesto, and the American organization, Resource and Policy Exchange, delivered 56,280 kg of food assistance worth more than $171,000. This food assistance went to more than 100 health and social protection facilities in the country.

• In May, the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, through its Support to Tajikistan's community-Cantered Police Reform project, provided $30,000 to conduct outreach campaigns, public areas disinfection, purchase of antithetic supplies and masks, and contribute to the treatment of community members throughout Tajikistan.

• In May, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) pledged $1.69 million to procure laboratory supplies and equipment for COVID-19 testing, organize trainings for public health workers, provide technical assistance for screening at ports of entry, raise awareness through community engagement, as well as implementing disease surveillance and clinical protocols to improve laboratory operations. The CDC is also translating technical documents published by leading international public health organizations into Russian for distribution.

• In June, USAID and the Aga Khan Foundation announced a combined $2.6 million response to COVID-19 in Tajikistan to improve care for patients, especially for the severely and critically ill, create employment opportunities, provide food support for the most vulnerable, and educate communities about COVID-19 to help reduce the spread of the virus.

• In June, USAID and the International Organization for Migration assisted more than 600 Tajik migrants stranded at the Kazakh-Uzbek border to safely return home to Tajikistan. This assistance was closely coordinated with the governments of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Over the last 20 years, the United States has invested more than $1 billion in Tajikistan, including $125 million to strengthen essential healthcare services for child and maternal health, HIV/AIDS, and TB.