By Caribbean News Global contributor
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The United States reaffirmed its commitment to help Guyana combat the pandemic through a handover ceremony of five, ultra-low temperature freezers to the ministry of health, for the purpose of COVID-19 vaccine storage.
Funding for the freezers, valued at approximately US$72, 000 ($14 million GYD), was provided by the US Department of Defense Humanitarian Assistance Program.
Chargé d’affaires Mark Cullinane presented the shipment to minister Frank Anthony at a handover ceremony. “These freezers will help ensure that COVID-19 vaccines will be stored according to safety protocols, while also building the capacity of Guyana’s health system,” said the Chargé.
Minister of health, Frank Anthony, added: “We are indeed very happy [today], because we have received these -80 freezers and as you know one of the most important components of managing vaccines is that you have to get an adequate cold storage system in place.
“Our colleagues from the embassy here had assured us that they are going to help us with the relevant equipment and today you are seeing the donation of these freezers, so we are extremely happy about this. They were able to make a contribution of Five ultra-low temperature freezers that allows the leadership of Guyana to make Guyana safer, to distribute these vaccines in a good, laboratory form to the people of Guyana.”
This support is in addition to the 62,400 vaccines that Guyana has received through the COVAX Facility, to which the US is the leading donor at US$4 billion. The Department of Defense has also donated more than US$150,000 worth of locally procured, personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, through its humanitarian assistance program.
