US Backs Ethiopia with Mechanical Ventilators

Aug 8 , 2020

The United States government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has donated 500 ventilators and other critical care equipment to Ethiopia to buffer the ongoing fight against the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). While 250 of the ventilators arrived last week, the remaining are en route. Alongside the donation, USAID will be providing a package of support that consists of complementary equipment, warranty and service plans, as well as training for medical professionals. The donation adds to the more than 71 million dollars that the United States has committed so far to Ethiopia in response to the pandemic through the US State Department, USAID, and the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC). The resources have been channelled to strengthen clinical care, build laboratory capacity, disseminate health messages, and ensure food security caused by the pandemic. In the last 20 years, the United States has invested more than 13 billion dollars in Ethiopia, with close to four billion dedicated to the health sector.