U.S. Embassy Dhaka coordinated with the Ministries of Health and Home Affairs to distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) to COVID-19 first responders
DHAKA, July 9, 2020 – Yesterday, July 8, United States Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller and Embassy representatives of the U.S. Military’s Indo-Pacific Command met with and provided essential personal protective equipment (PPE) to Bangladesh Police Headquarters Inspector General Dr. Benazir Ahmed as part of continued U.S. support for Bangladesh’s COVID-19 response efforts. This is the fourth in a series of planned PPE distributions from the United States to Bangladesh. To date, the United States, 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 yesterday 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. U.S. Embassy Dhaka is providing assistance to organizations throughout Bangladesh, building on more than $1 billion in health assistance provided to Bangladesh over the past 20 years. This funding emphasizes the long-term U.S. commitment to helping ensure access for all people in Bangladesh to quality, lifesaving healthcare.
U.S. Embassy Dhaka is proud to donate this essential personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Bangladesh Police first responders working to protect local communities against the spread of COVID-19. This donation is in addition to other donations from the U.S. Embassy, including recent contributions to Bangladesh Customs Department officials, Kamalapur Railway General Hospital, and Bangladesh’s Fire Service and Civil Defense. Bangladesh’s police and other first responders, together with health care workers, customs officials, people who work in grocery stores and pharmacies, journalists, and volunteer organizations perform remarkable acts of service every day; they are genuine heroes. The United States remains committed to working in partnership alongside Bangladesh to fight this pandemic and to further strengthening our countries’ already deep ties.
