Skopje, 9 November 2021 (MIA) - Today, the U.S. government highlighted the recent donation of $400,000 worth of equipment and supplies for North Macedonia’s COVID-19 response and announced $2.7 million in new COVID-19 assistance for the country. This brings the total U.S. government COVID-19 assistance to the country to more than $9.2 million since the start of the pandemic, the USAID said in a press release on Tuesday. The new assistance—through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)—will support the World Health Organization (WHO) to further strengthen the health system emergency preparedness and response capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure higher coverage and safe delivery of COVID-19 vaccines in North Macedonia. “It will also support UNICEF to expand targeted risk communication and community engagement interventions to support COVID-19 vaccine uptake; promote interventions to address the mental health and well-being of the health workforce engaged in the COVID-19 response; address urgent water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and infection prevention and control capacities; and conduct critical data analyses and assessments for improving the overall COVID-19 response,” reads the press release. The equipment donation, made by the U.S. European Command, is supporting the cold chain immunization and vaccination process. This donation is part of the $1 million provided to combat COVID-19, which includes previous donations of equipment and supplies for frontline health workers and assisting with testing and treatment. Since the pandemic broke out, the U.S. government has been supporting UNICEF and WHO to strengthen the North Macedonia health system’s capacity for an effective COVID-19 response and preparedness for future health threats and emergencies. Assisting national health authorities in designing, monitoring, and adjusting COVID-19 response interventions has included ensuring readiness for COVID-19 vaccination deployment in all its components, ensuring safe and efficient COVID-19 vaccine delivery, including supporting cold chain and digitalization of the vaccination system, surveillance, epidemiological investigation, contact tracing, and adjustment of public health and social measures. Improving capacity of planning, monitoring, analysis, risk communication and community engagement and training health workers, national and subnational focal points, and partners to address wider health needs of the population are also a strong component of the joint efforts, reads the press release. Additionally, USAID programs have supported the COVID-19 response in the areas of economic recovery, public service delivery, democracy and governance, and media, among others. Diseases know no borders. The U.S. is committed to partnering with North Macedonia to end the COVID-19 pandemic, mitigate its devastating social and economic impacts, and build back a world that is even better prepared for future outbreaks, the USAID said in a press release.