Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.zimnetradio.com/news/zimnet271720.html
U.S. Donates Protective Clothing for Influenza Preparedness and Response to Zimbabwe
By THULANI MLILO
Published on: 27th January, 2010
ZIMBABWE ? Harare, January 27, 2010: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing 50,000 personal protective clothing kits for influenza preparedness for use by health care workers in Zimbabwe and throughout Southern Africa in the event of an outbreak of H1N1 virus.
The kits are worth approximately US$465,000. USAID is collaborating with the World Health Organization (WHO), which will store the stock in its warehouse until the materials are needed.
The new shipment follows an earlier delivery of protective clothing, worth US$27,121, that arrived in Zimbabwe in 2007. ?This equipment will be critical to the people of Zimbabwe in the event of an outbreak of H1N1 virus,? commented USAID Director Karen Freeman. ?We are committed to helping Zimbabweans combat the H1N1 flu and other diseases at the community level.?
The handover of the kits from USAID to WHO will be marked by a ceremony on January 27, 2010 at Parirenyatwa Hospital. The Minister of Health and Child Welfare Dr. Henry Madzorera, WHO Inter Country Support Coordinator Dr. Oladapo Walker, U.S. Ambassador Charles Ray, and USAID Mission Director Karen Freeman will be in attendance.
USAID, in collaboration with WHO, is in the process of pre-positioning 200,000 personal protective equipment kits in African countries in order to provide adequate and appropriate protection for preparedness, training, surveillance, and outbreak response activities.
The kits are part of a larger Humanitarian Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (H2P) now in place across 25 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East that are considered the most vulnerable to the effects of a pandemic.
The initiative builds on critical capacities USAID developed to fight H5N1 avian influenza and to support pandemic readiness. Since 2005, the USAID Avian and Pandemic Influenza Response Unit has overseen the programming of US$658 million in support of pandemic preparedness and response programs in 54 countries.
For more information on USAID programs in Zimbabwe, please visit www.usaid.gov/zw.
Issued by Tim Gerhardson, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy, Harare
U.S. Donates Protective Clothing for Influenza Preparedness and Response to Zimbabwe
By THULANI MLILO
Published on: 27th January, 2010
ZIMBABWE ? Harare, January 27, 2010: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing 50,000 personal protective clothing kits for influenza preparedness for use by health care workers in Zimbabwe and throughout Southern Africa in the event of an outbreak of H1N1 virus.
The kits are worth approximately US$465,000. USAID is collaborating with the World Health Organization (WHO), which will store the stock in its warehouse until the materials are needed.
The new shipment follows an earlier delivery of protective clothing, worth US$27,121, that arrived in Zimbabwe in 2007. ?This equipment will be critical to the people of Zimbabwe in the event of an outbreak of H1N1 virus,? commented USAID Director Karen Freeman. ?We are committed to helping Zimbabweans combat the H1N1 flu and other diseases at the community level.?
The handover of the kits from USAID to WHO will be marked by a ceremony on January 27, 2010 at Parirenyatwa Hospital. The Minister of Health and Child Welfare Dr. Henry Madzorera, WHO Inter Country Support Coordinator Dr. Oladapo Walker, U.S. Ambassador Charles Ray, and USAID Mission Director Karen Freeman will be in attendance.
USAID, in collaboration with WHO, is in the process of pre-positioning 200,000 personal protective equipment kits in African countries in order to provide adequate and appropriate protection for preparedness, training, surveillance, and outbreak response activities.
The kits are part of a larger Humanitarian Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (H2P) now in place across 25 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East that are considered the most vulnerable to the effects of a pandemic.
The initiative builds on critical capacities USAID developed to fight H5N1 avian influenza and to support pandemic readiness. Since 2005, the USAID Avian and Pandemic Influenza Response Unit has overseen the programming of US$658 million in support of pandemic preparedness and response programs in 54 countries.
For more information on USAID programs in Zimbabwe, please visit www.usaid.gov/zw.
Issued by Tim Gerhardson, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy, Harare