Staff Report
Islamabad: The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation, and Coordination, the National Disaster Management Authority, and the High Commission of Canada held a handover ceremony at the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday, for the donation of medical ventilators from Canada to Pakistan. In response to a request by the Government of Pakistan, Canada delivered 162 ventilators and related medical supplies via a Royal Canadian Air Force flight on June 27, 2021. The ventilators will be distributed based on the specific needs identified by the Government of Pakistan.
“Canada values its partnership with Pakistan to promote strengthened health systems, and more recently in the ongoing fight against COVID-19. Today’s contribution builds on this collaboration and will help ensure essential medical services are available to the most vulnerable, including women and girls, when and where they need them,” said Wendy Gilmour, the High Commissioner of Canada to Pakistan.
A statement from Canada High Commission said, “Canada is proud to continue to work with the Government of Pakistan and partners towards a coordinated response to COVID-19 and to build on its longstanding partnership to improve health systems and service delivery in Pakistan. Today’s contribution is part of Canada’s continued support to Pakistan’s COVID-19 response since the beginning of the pandemic, which, up to this point, includes about $16 million to support strengthening surveillance, lab testing, health worker training and other essential activities, as well as Canada’s broader support to countries, including Pakistan, through global health partnerships. Canada’s support for COVID-19 response has been targeted to those most in need, particularly women and girls who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic”.
At the global level, Canada is providing $545 million to the COVAX Facility for vaccine procurement, distribution, and delivery in 92 countries, including Pakistan, and is supporting UNICEF to provide additional medical supplies to Pakistan, in part through a $230 million contribution to the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, announced in December 2020.
Additionally, Canada recently announced new support through the World Health Organization (WHO) to help strengthen and improve the resilience of primary and essential health care service delivery in ten countries, including Pakistan.
