USAID ADMIN REVIEWS CORONAVIRUS AID TO INDIA

Washington, May 4: USAID Administrator Samantha Power, soon after being sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris, reviewed the ongoing Covid-19 assistance to India and held a virtual meeting with the country’s Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, reaffirming that America will work tirelessly to support the people of India in its fight against the deadly contagion.

Power engaged directly with teams facing down the global Covid-19 pandemic, with a specific focus on the current devastating outbreak in India, according to a statement by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), an independent agency of the US federal government primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance.

Power, the former US ambassador to the United Nations, met USAID’s

Covid-19 Task Force to discuss America’s global relief efforts.

Task Force Executive Director Jeremy Konyndyk and staff briefed her on the status of the US government's deployment of supplies to India, including six planes filled with oxygen supplies,

N95 masks, rapid diagnostic tests and medicine.

During the meeting, she reaffirmed that the US will continue to work around the clock to provide support and assistance to its partners in India, and highlighted newly-released guidance, which will make it easier for teams in the field to secure lifesaving Personal Protestive Equipment. —