Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina – The United States today announced $750,000 in assistance to fight the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to improve the country’s response to the pandemic, including surveillance, public communication, and diagnostics.
The project between USAID and the World Health Organization (WHO) in BiH was launched today at a ceremony attended by U.S. Ambassador Eric Nelson, USAID Mission Director Courtney Chubb, and WHO Special Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dr Erwin Cooreman.
“This assistance will help WHO strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina’s fight against COVID-19 by addressing critical elements of pandemic response,” said Ambassador Nelson. “Better data, stronger, targeted risk communication and community engagement, and improved laboratories and diagnostics are all vital to helping the country beat the virus.”
“We are grateful to USAID for this important donation that will help WHO to provide Bosnia and Herzegovina with the best tools and assistance in the COVID-19 pandemic response. Our main focus has been and still is saving lives and ending the acute phase of this pandemic,” said Dr Cooreman.
With this new funding, USAID has now provided $11.2 million to BiH in COVID-19 relief assistance since the onset of the pandemic using direct and redirected funds.
These efforts build on decades of life-saving work and U.S. leadership in tackling global health crises. Over the past 60 years, USAID has saved millions of lives from diseases such as Ebola, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and now COVID-19.
Diseases know no borders. The U.S. is committed to partnering with BiH to end the COVID-19 pandemic, mitigate its devastating social and economic impacts, and build back a world that is even better prepared for future outbreaks.
USAID Photo