The US Embassy in Dhaka has provided Covid19 response equipment to police as part of its continued support to Bangladesh’s first responders.
Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller and Embassy representatives of the US Military’s Indo-Pacific Command met with and provided essential personal protective equipment (PPE) to Bangladesh Police Headquarters Inspector General Benazir Ahmed on Wednesday, the embassy said on Thursday.
This is the fourth in a series of planned PPE distributions from the US to Bangladesh.
To date, the US, through the Department of State and USAID alone, has provided over $43.4 million in aid to combat COVID-19 in Bangladesh.
Additional support and technical assistance is being provided through the Departments of Defense and Agriculture and our Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.
The U.S. Embassy Dhaka-donated equipment delivered on Wednesday includes 4,000 KN95 surgical masks, 3,200 200-milliliter bottles of hand sanitizer, 4,000 pairs of surgical gloves, 550 pounds of powdered bleach, 22 disinfectant backpack sprayers, 700 face shields, and 25 infrared thermometers, all of which the United States purchased locally from Bangladeshi companies.
The Bangladesh Police are a critical part of the first line of defense against COVID-19.
Their efforts have played a key role in Bangladesh’s COVID-19 response, supporting the public and Ministry of Health (MoH) initiatives throughout the country.
This PPE donation will ensure police remain protected while they ensure the safety and security of all people living in Bangladesh.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the U.S. government has committed more than $1.3 billion worldwide in emergency health, humanitarian, economic, and development assistance specifically aimed at helping governments, international organizations, and NGOs fight the pandemic.
The US Embassy Dhaka is providing assistance to organisations throughout Bangladesh, building on more than $1 billion in health assistance provided to Bangladesh over the past 20 years.
This funding emphasises the long-term U.S. commitment to helping ensure access for all people in Bangladesh to quality, lifesaving healthcare.