COLOMBO, January 13:  The United States donated a mobile testing unit to the Regional Health Services in Moneragala, received by Dr. B.M.C. Dasanayaka, as part of the effort to fight COVID-19 in Sri Lanka and protect lives through early detection.  

The mobile unit will administer PCR tests and provide vital health services to 100 people daily in Moneragala communities hit hard by the pandemic. The mobile unit enables safe sample collection by avoiding direct contact and can be used in future for testing other communicable diseases, including dengue.   

"By making COVID-19 tests and other health related services accessible to rural communities, the United States is helping mitigate some of the profound human and economic losses caused by the pandemic," said U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz. 

The donation was funded by the U.S. Government's development arm the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Social Cohesion and Reconciliation project.   

The U.S. Government has provided USD 6 million in aid to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Sri Lanka. The assistance is helping to prepare laboratory systems; activate case-finding and event-based surveillance; support technical experts for response and preparedness; support risk communication; and address infection prevention and control. In addition, U.S. assistance is also supporting social services for communities most impacted by COVID-19, helping build social cohesion, mitigating negative economic impacts by strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises, and increasing women’s economic participation.