Directorate General Health Services
Lahore
DCM SCHOFER: It is an honor to be here today for this important event. We know how important it is for people to have access to quality health care. In partnership with Pakistan, we continue to make strategic investments to improve Pakistan’s health care system, especially here in Punjab.
On behalf of the government and people of the United States of America, I am pleased to announce that we have completed delivery of $2 million worth of oxygen commodities to 37 hospitals across Punjab. This support is enhancing hospitals’ capacity to provide oxygen therapy to patients suffering from COVID-19 as well as many other lung conditions.
I am also pleased to announce that we have handed over seven USAID-donated refrigeration trucks. These trucks can safely transport vaccines from the provincial warehouse to district and sub-district stores, and can be used for vaccine storage purposes in emergency situations.
Over the past two years, as we saw in the video, the United States has worked closely with the Government of Punjab on several health-related initiatives, including efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. I will list a few of these:
- We provided 46 ventilators, which were distributed to 13 hospitals;
- We trained 142 health workers on the new equipment; and,
- We provided personal protective equipment, rapid antigen tests, and a mobile biosafety laboratory.
These efforts not only enabled health care providers to meet acute, COVID-19 related needs. They are long-term investments in Punjab’s healthcare system. Our cooperation here serves as a shining example. We share the same goal, to help people in need across Punjab. So, to the Punjab Caretaker Health Minister of Primary and Secondary Health, thank you for your leadership, and for your commitment to our partnership.
The United States is strongly committed to building on our strong partnership with health care providers here in Punjab. I’m honored to have the opportunity to celebrate this important milestone in our partnership with all of you today.
