United States government allocates an additional US $ 2 million to the Dominican Republic in humanitarian assistance to combat COVID-19

Santo Domingo, D.N. – The United States Government announced additional assistance of US $ 2 million for a total of US $ 3.4 million to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 epidemic in the Dominican Republic. The funds will be administered through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the Dominican Republic.

The $ 3.4 million includes $ 2 million in new financial support funds to address critical needs in the areas of social protection, psychosocial support, education, water and sanitation, and food security in vulnerable communities. These new funds complement the previously announced $ 1.4 million in health care to address the pandemic, which supports epidemiological analysis and prognosis, location of contacts, and surveillance of the pandemic.

The United States of America, through USAID, provides life-saving support in coordination with the Government of the Dominican Republic, international humanitarian partners, and other actors to identify priority areas for investment.

“This announcement of an additional $ 2 million earmarked for the Dominican Republic through USAID is a testament to our commitment to the Dominican Republic,” said Charge d’Affaires Shane Myers. “This funding, provided by our Congress, will serve to save lives by improving public health education, protecting health facilities and increasing laboratory, disease surveillance, and rapid response capabilities. We remain a vital partner in the Dominican Republic, and this assistance deepens our present collaboration in the fight against this pandemic.”

The United States and the Dominican Republic have a long history of cooperation and investment in health and development. The United States Government has invested a total of more than US $ 1 billion in the health and long-term development of the Dominican Republic over the past 20 years, including nearly US $ 298 million in healthcare. The contribution of this additional US $ 3.4 million demonstrates the permanent commitment of the people of the United States to the people of the Dominican Republic to combat COVID-19.

This information is available from the press office of the United States Department of State.

For more information contact: SantoDomingoPress@state.gov