DHAKA, Nov 15, 2020 (BSS) – US Ambassador Earl Miller today said Bangladesh and United States are now enjoying best ever cooperation comparing to any time ranging from economic ties to development and health care cooperation.
“America’s commitment to Bangladesh has never been stronger. And our commitment to each other has never been more important,” he said.
The US envoy was speaking at a handing over ceremony where US government, through US Embassy Dhaka and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has delivered 100 pledged state-of-the-art ventilators at Kurmitola General Hospital in the capital.
The US government made pledge of donating the ventilators to Bangladesh to assist its fight against COVID-19 under Strengthening Public Health Cooperation for a Safer Economy goal, outlined in the September 30th during high-level consultation between US and Bangladesh to develop a Vision for Advancing the US-Bangladesh Economic Partnership.
“This donation today is a health deliverable that complements the goal of that high-level consultation,” Miller said.
He said US-Bangladesh cooperation to prevent, detect, and respond to disease outbreaks has support at the highest levels of both the governments.
“This donation complements Bangladesh’s ongoing efforts to combat COVID-19 and demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the United States to supporting the people of Bangladesh through this crisis,” he said.
Noting that COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented global health threat, the Ambassador said Bangladesh and the United States, and nations around the world, are working hard together to combat this pandemic.
“It is through partnership and cooperation that we will best be able to ensure a healthy future for our people,” he said.
Miller said the US was one of the first countries to mobilize funds to support Bangladesh’s COVID-19 response efforts contributing over $68 million to date, including nearly $38 million from USAID.
“We are working with hospitals and health facilities around the country to strengthen Bangladesh’s ability to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak,” he said.
As part of the US government’s efforts to help the global community combat the novel coronavirus, the US has provided state-of-the-art US manufactured ventilators among different countries around the world, including Bangladesh.
For the past five decades, the US government has worked alongside the Bangladesh government to help strengthen Bangladesh’s health systems and reduce maternal and child mortality, tuberculosis infections and infectious disease transmission.
Since the COVID outbreak, USAID and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been actively engaged with Bangladesh health officials.