TT to get US $$ to fight covid19

THE US has donated US$3 million to help the Caribbean fight covid19, with TT standing to benefit from US$475,000 ($3,212,464.42).

In a media release on Friday, US Ambassador Joseph N Mondello said from 2010-2019, the United States provided US$8,508,841 for the institutional strengthening of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and this assistance is a continuation of that.

CARPHA will receive US$475,000 of the donated sum.

The result of that assistance, he said, will be a stronger response to covid19.

CARPHA provides testing for 13 Caribbean countries, including TT. Mondello said the US assistance supported CARPHA’s international accreditation in 2018.

He said as with other challenges in the past, the US will work with the region to confront and defeat covid19 through a collaborative effort.

“Then Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan met in April 2019 with officials from TTand 17 other Caribbean countries in Miami to launch the US-Caribbean Resilience Partnership to build regional capacity to confront disaster response and promote resilience. Little did we know what the future would hold – that is the nature of emergencies – but we knew co-ordination and preparation was important and that work is already paying dividends as we respond together to covid19.”

Two weeks ago the European Union donated eight million euros to the same cause and lauded TT for its handling of the crisis.

In a media release then, the EU delegation said the proactive and measured steps the country took in dealing with the challenges arising out of the pandemic, and the Ministry of Health's preparedness to tackle the virus must be applauded. The delegation added that it stood in solidarity with TT as this country continues to play its part in limiting the spread of the virus.