'US has provided over 680,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Bhutan'

NEW DELHI: US Charge d'Affaires in India Patricia A. Lacina visited Bhutan from September 26 to October 1 and joined Minister of Agriculture and Forests Lyonpo Yeshey Penjor in a ceremonial event to commemorate years of successful bilateral partnership in health leading up to and combating the Covid-19 pandemic.

In partnership with COVAX and the Bhutan Foundation, the United States has provided more than 680,000 vaccine doses to Bhutan, including 51,480 doses of Pfizer vaccines that arrived on September 18, 2022.

A US Embassy press release said CDA Lacina also met Health Minister Lyonpo Dechen Wangmo to discuss bilateral cooperation on COVID-19 and congratulated her for the exhaustive efforts made by Bhutan to combat the pandemic.

CDA Lacina said that Bhutan stands as a model on global health issues, a fact the whole world recognizes.

"When the Covid pandemic struck, the government implemented a detailed plan to protect the country's front-line health workers and safeguard its citizens. The United States is proud to have supported Bhutan in this remarkable achievement, through US government-provided vaccines and other assistance and through more than a decade of wide-ranging health cooperation," Lacina said.

For over a decade, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has collaborated with the Royal Center for Disease Control (RCDC) of Bhutan's Ministry of Health, building capacity for influenza surveillance, pandemic preparedness, and influenza vaccine introduction, which was leveraged for COVID-19 response, the press release added.

Since the pandemic began, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and other US government agencies have worked closely with Bhutan, bolstering Bhutan's pandemic preparedness and response. USAID has also supported livelihood interventions for Bhutanese, focusing on women and youth, who experienced economic hardship during the pandemic.

Over the past 20 years, the United States has provided USD 9 million in foreign assistance to Bhutan.

The US government is partnering with Bhutan to prioritize COVID-19 relief and support to livelihoods, clean energy, disaster resilience, and in the recent past, forestry management, biodiversity conservation, and water security.