Coronavirus: UK announces £2.67 million funds to help Pakistan

Islamabad: The UK Saturday announced the first in a series of measures to give wide-ranging support to help the poorest and the most vulnerable people in Pakistan during the Coronavirus outbreak. The announcement will ensure £2.67 million funds for vital health support to help Pakistan give medical assistance to the seriously ill; build stronger systems to detect and test for COVID-19; and support communities to have the right information to protect themselves and others; and provide £1 million for the rapid response of controlling locusts in affected areas in Pakistan, which are having a devastating impact on crops and livelihoods

The wider package of support which the UK will roll-out over the coming weeks will repurpose DFID’s programme of assistance to ensure it helps those at risk and the most vulnerable, during the Coronavirus response. The £2.67 million funds announced by the UK today will help people in 27 districts across all five provinces of Pakistan.  It comes alongside the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s appeal to overseas diaspora to help fundraise for the COVID-19 response, and the UK’s support for Pakistan’s debt relief and loan postponements from the G20 group of countries. The British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr Christian Turner CMG said: “These are extraordinary times. Across the world millions of people are being affected by COVID-19.

I am confident in Pakistan’s resilience and capability to defeat this pandemic. “UK health support of £2.67 million will help the Government of Pakistan detect COVID-19, protect communities and help those most affected. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our friends in Pakistan at this difficult time.”