Press Releases 2009
U.S. Donates Life-Saving Ambulances
NWFP and AJK to receive emergency vehicles worth $1.1 million
October 17, 2009
Islamabad - Mothers and children among hundreds of other sick and injured in some of Pakistan's most remote and conflict-ridden areas will have more rapid access to emergency medical services with today's donation by the U.S. government of 23 fully equipped state-of-the-art ambulances.
The 23 ambulances valued at $1.1 million were donated as part of the USAID-supported Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns (PAIMAN). Specially designed and equipped to assist pregnant women and newborns, the new $47,000 vehicles will transport many patients to renovated and re-equipped labor and delivery wards in four hospitals and three rural health centers.
"Every moment counts during a medical emergency," U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson said at a ceremony today at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. "We sincerely hope that the ambulances will contribute to improved public health in these districts, which host displaced populations."
At the ceremony, Ambassador Patterson handed over keys to the ambulances to health officials from the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) region and a federal delegation led by Faisal Karim Kundi, deputy speaker of the National Assembly.
In partnership with the Pakistani government, the six-year $92.8 million PAIMAN project builds the capacity of the existing health systems and fosters a community-based approach to ensure care for mothers and newborns in ten districts of Pakistan, including training for the health department drivers and paramedics operating the ambulances.
PAIMAN is also upgrading 34 health facilities in NWFP and eight in AJK to function round-the- clock. The 23 new ambulances augment the nine that have already been distributed in NWFP, and 25 more that will be distributed in Punjab, Sindh, and Baluchistan provinces. Combined with 28 already donated, the 76 new ambulances are valued at approximately $3.6 million.
Since 2002, the U.S. government has provided more than $3.4 billion in development assistance to Pakistan over five years to improve economic growth, education, health, good governance and assist with earthquake reconstruction.