U.S. donates N$100 million to fight COVID-19 in Namibia
The government of the United States last week announced assistance worth N$100 million to Namibia’s fight against COVID-19.
The U.S. Ambassador to Namibia Lisa Johnson said the money will be used to strengthen Namibia’s lab testing capabilities, strengthen local communities around Namibia, strengthen Namibia’s emergency responses to epidemics, and continue to provide American medical and technical expertise through CDC personnel supporting the Namibian government’s response.
“We are prepared to help Namibia fight this virus, and we will do all we can to ensure a world safer and more secure from infectious disease threats, both now and in the future,” Johnson said.
The United States provides critical support to international organizations fighting the pandemic including UNICEF, the World Food Program, and dozens of other organizations. Johnson said she is confident that the fight against COVID-19 will be won, because was done before in fighting the high mortality rate of HIV/AIDS, through the PEPFAR programme.. In the 16 years of combatting HIV together, the U.S. PEPFAR programme has invested over US$1 billion in Namibians’ heath.
“Our commitment to Namibians’ health extends beyond fighting diseases like HIV and COVID-19. The United States is also providing food assistance in response to the drought, feeding over 350,000 Namibians across the country,” Johnson said.
Caption: Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula and U.S. Ambassador to Namibia, Lisa Johnson.
