Harare – The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has committed an additional $2 million in health assistance to support the people of Zimbabwe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

U. S. assistance to Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 response now exceeds US$8 million.  USAID has now committed $5 million and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided $3 million. PEPFAR has committed $150,000.

“The United States remains a long-standing development partner for the people of Zimbabwe. We work tirelessly to ensure that we maintain critical health and humanitarian assistance activities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ambassador Brian A. Nichols said.  

The new funding will increase COVID-19 testing, treatment, and prevention activities to save lives.  This funding will provide support to over 670 health facilities to effectively and efficiently respond to COVID-19 cases and train over 8,200 doctors, nurses, other health workers, and rapid response teams.  In addition, USAID will support laboratories with transporting test samples.  This assistance will also help disseminate reliable information by supporting community radio and social media campaigns, and by printing nationally coordinated materials, to reach over a million people.  

To meet these objectives, USAID is partnering with the following local and international organizations: FHI 360, the Organization for Public Health Interventions and Development, Africaid, and Population Services International.  U.S. funding will not go to the Government of Zimbabwe.

Over the past 20 years, the United States has provided over $3 billion in assistance to the people of Zimbabwe through the State Department, USAID, and CDC.  With nearly US$1.2 billion of this support for health, the United States has helped strengthen systems, laying the foundation for the COVID-19 response today.

The U.S. Government remains committed to sustaining and expanding its partnership with the people of Zimbabwe to improve health outcomes, increase agricultural productivity, stimulate economic growth, protect human rights, and improve democratic systems in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For additional information, please contact Public Affairs Officer Kenneth Wetzel at HararePress@state.gov or Development Outreach and Communications Specialist Doreen Hove at dhove@usaid.gov.
  
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