Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: A U.S.-funded entomology laboratory inaugurated here on Monday that will strengthen Pakistan’s ability to track and respond to vector-borne disease outbreaks. U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Andrew Schofer inaugurated the laboratory. Federal Secretary Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation, and Coordination, Dr. Muhammad Fakhre Alam Irfan; and Pakistani National Institute of Health Chief Executive Officer Ghazal Parveen were also present on the occasion.
“The devastating 2022 floods across Pakistan reminded us all of the health risks posed by waterborne diseases,” Schofer said. “The United States stands with Pakistan as it continues to recover from the floods.”
The laboratory, funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is the latest milestone in the longstanding U.S.-Pakistan health partnership. For decades, the United States and Pakistan have collaborated closely to support the health of the Pakistani people. After both the 2010 floods and the 2022 floods, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention experts traveled to Pakistan to consult with Pakistani and UN partners about how to effectively respond to the health crises stemming from the flooding. In recent years, the United States and Pakistan also have partnered to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, with the United States supplying over 80 million doses of safe and effective COVID vaccines to Pakistan thus far.
The U.S. Agency for International Development also has built clinics and hospitals across Pakistan, expanding access to quality health care. For example, the Jacobabad Institute of Medical Sciences, built by USAID, remained open during the 2022 floods, providing necessary medical care to flood-affected individuals.
The United States will continue to build a strong health and science partnership with Pakistan, including through the U.S.-Pakistan Green Alliance framework.
