U.S. Government provides additional funding to support COVID-19 prevention in the Pacific Islands region

Located in the West Pacific, the Federated States of Micronesia is an archipelago of 607 islands and is made up of four states: Yap, Chuuk, Korsae, and Pohnpei, in which the capital city of Palikir is located. To date, there are zero cases of COVID-19 in the country. (Courtesy FSM Visitors Board)

 

By Alfred Acenas
EBC Hawaii Bureau

HONOLULU (Eagle News) – The U.S. Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing an additional $9.9 million to help Pacific Island countries respond to the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The said amount brings the total USAID package for the region to nearly $12.2 million.

The additional assistance is expected to enable USAID to work with 12 Pacific Island countries, namely the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

The assistance is to strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations to combat disinformation and protect the rights of vulnerable and marginalized populations.

The U.S. Government will also provide grants to private sector and civil society partners to implement community and national-level activities that will boost partner countries’ resilience and their ability to respond to the economic and social impacts of COVID-19.

In addtion, the U.S. is partnering with Pacific Island governments and coordinating closely with like-minded partners in the region to link U.S. Government assistance with the regional health sector and humanitarian response.

This additional investment supports USAID’s continued work to assist governments in preparing laboratory systems, activating case-finding and event-based surveillance, and supporting technical experts for COVID-19 response and preparedness.

USAID will also advance risk communication, strengthen infection prevention and control in health facilities, and improve logistics and coordination.

Official Photo U.S. Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia Carmen G. Cantor.

 

“The Federated States of Micronesia is fortunate that there are no confirmed cases of the COVID-19 disease in the country, but it is important to rapidly scale up preparedness and response efforts to prepare for this looming threat,” said U.S. Ambassador to FSM, Carmen G. Cantor. “We look forward to continuing our work with our local and international partners so that the people of this country are better protected and prepared to handle the disease.”

Over the past 20 years, the United States has invested over $5.21 billion in assistance to the Pacific Islands region. Over the past decade, the United States has invested more than $620 million for health in the same region.

 

(FILES) In addition to government agencies, other organizations like the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) also provide various forms of assistance to communities in the West Pacific and elsewhere globally. Here, the Church hosted an Aid to Humanity outreach in Koror, Palau in 2019. (Courtesy Iglesia Ni Cristo District of Micronesia)

 

(Eagle News Service)