On August 27, the United States—through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) —announced that it will provide $2.7 million in urgent COVID-19 assistance to Guinea from the American Rescue Plan.
These funds will support Guinea’s rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and reinforce public health communication to address misinformation and encourage continued efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Strengthening risk communication and community engagement by increasing use of masks and social distancing will play a central role in saving lives, helping contain the pandemic, protecting health care systems, and helping restore the economy.
A portion of these funds will also support the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), operated by the World Food Program, which will provide air service from Conakry to other regions and will allow small vaccine and supply shipments to reach all corners of the country.
USAID will also increase the protection of health care workers through training and providing supplies to those on the frontlines of the pandemic, many of whom are falling ill with COVID-19.
Steven Koutsis, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. of the U.S. Embassy in Guinea, Mrs. Kendra Schoenholz, Director of the USAID Mission in Guinea, and Mr. Amadou Thierno Diallo, Minister of Cooperation and African Integration signed on behalf of their respective governments, Amendment #17 to the Development Objective Grant Agreements.
Chargé Koutsis stated, “President Biden emphasizes that the fight against COVID-19 is a global effort and that we have a humanitarian obligation to save as many lives as possible. Today our two governments are taking yet another important step to beat this pandemic together.”
This assistance is in addition to more than $3.8 million in COVID-19 assistance USAID has already provided to Guinea since the pandemic began over a year ago.