U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Country Representative to the Lao PDR Michael Ronning presented 220,314 mosquito nets, valued at over US$416,000 to Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Phayvanh Keopaseuth at a ceremony in Vientiane on Feb 25.
This is part of the United States’ ongoing support to the Lao PDR in the malaria elimination goal.
The long-lasting insecticide treated nets, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), will be distributed to vulnerable families and communities in greatest need. Specifically, Savannakhet, where malaria cases remain especially high, will receive a large portion of the bednets.
This donation from the United States will contribute to the Government of Laos’ national mass bednet campaign supporting the Ministry of Health’s National Malaria Control Programme in the fight against malaria during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our health assistance is a central part of the U.S.-Lao Comprehensive Partnership. The United States is proud to continue working with the Lao PDR government and our public health partners through this contribution of lifesaving supplies to eliminate malaria by 2030,” Mr. Ronning said.
The handover is the most recent example of U.S. support to the Lao PDR in combating malaria. Together with this donation, over the past 10 years USAID has provided technical assistance, supplied equipment, and distributed more than 1,000,000 mosquito nets, nearly 1,000,000 malaria diagnostic test kits, and antimalarial drugs and treatments valued at more than US$5.1 million. Separately, the United States has provided assistance of over US$13 million to support the Lao Government in the fight against COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.
Most recently, the U.S. Government donated almost 1.7 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which has assisted the Lao PDR to vaccinate more than 50% of the population, including youth ages 12-17 enabling them to safely return to schools.
The United States’ development assistance to the Lao PDR spans more than a decade. In health, USAID has supported the Lao PDR to fight various infectious diseases, improve maternal and child health and nutrition, and enabled persons with disabilities to live to their full potential.
Source: Lao News Agency