Press Releases 2008
USAID Donates More Equipment To Help Fight Spread Of Avian Influenza In Pakistan
01/23/2008
Islamabad - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated $22,000 worth of personal protective equipment to help Pakistan respond to and contain outbreaks of Avian Influenza, the U.S. Embassy announced here today.
“Outbreaks of Avian Influenza represent a major public health threat and potentially have huge economic consequences,” said Edward Birgells, Acting Mission Director of USAID in Pakistan. “We are more than pleased to work with the people of Pakistan to diminish the threat Avian Influenza poses and to protect the brave men and women who are out there fighting the disease.”
Since 2006, USAID has given $157,000 in personal protection equipment, decontamination and laboratory tools, and poultry testing kits to Pakistan. The equipment limits the risk of animal-to-animal and animal-to-human infection during outbreak response activities such as disposing of infected poultry and decontaminating poultry-raising areas.
Donated through the World Health Organization (WHO), the protective suits, respirators, goggles and gloves are distributed to workers who must come in direct contact with Avian Influenza-infected poultry.
Pakistan is one of the twenty-four countries throughout Asia and the Near East that have experienced outbreaks of Avian Influenza. Forty-seven outbreaks of Avian Influenza were recorded in Pakistan during 2007.
The equipment is part of the $1.5 billion in aid that the U.S. Government is providing to Pakistan over five years to improve economic growth, education, health and governance and to assist with earthquake reconstruction.