US-Pakistan Health Dialogue identify areas of mutual engagement in COVID-19, child health

The US-Pakistan Health Dialogue provides a framework to sustain and strengthen health sector collaboration. Both sides identified areas of mutual engagement and established an action plan to reach shared goals," read the US Department of State press release.

During the dialogue, the US also announced it was donating 16 million doses of pediatric vaccines for COVID-19 to Pakistan in partnership with COVAX, on top of the 61.5 million adult vaccines doses already donated. An additional USD 20 million in USAID funding is also planned to support vaccination efforts.

The Dialogue also highlighted the donation of four mobile testing labs by the United States through USAID to Pakistan's National Institute of Health worth a total of USD 4.6 million, added the release.

These labs will strengthen Pakistan's ability to diagnose COVID-19 and other communicable diseases, especially in remote and underserved areas.

In addition, the US CDC announced the successful transfer of the Pakistan Field Epidemiology Training Program to the government of Pakistan, and that it will build upon this program and other ongoing investments to support and coordinate strong disease surveillance and response systems, said the release.

The US side was co-led by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Assistant Administrator for Global Health Atul Gawande and US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs Loyce Pace, and included representation from Department of State, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Federal Minister of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination Abdul Qadir Patel led the Pakistan delegation, which included officials from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, Federal Directorate of Immunization, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (ANI)