USAID to provide extra $1.8 mln to WHO to support Ukraine's healthcare sector

MOSCOW. Aug 4 (Interfax) - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide additional $1.8 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen infectious disease surveillance and reporting in Ukraine.

Ukrainian media have reported that USAID made the decision following a meeting between its Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman and WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge on August 2.

The funds are to be spent on strengthening infectious disease surveillance and reporting in Ukraine, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable, including people with special needs, those living in remote areas and internally displaced people (IDP).

In particular, this funding should help improve laboratory diagnostic capacities to detect and report communicable diseases in a timely way, enhance the existing surveillance systems through event-based surveillance (EBS) in selected priority regions with a high number of IDPs, and strengthen health information systems ensuring regular data flow and better monitoring of service availability.

"Health must be a central pillar of the humanitarian response, but also a key component of Ukraine's recovery," Dr. Kluge was quoted as saying.

USAID has provided a total of $15.5 million to the WHO to support Ukraine's healthcare sector from February 24.