US COVID-19 vaccines reach Bhutan in 680,000 doses: In collaboration with the COVAX facility and the Bhutan Foundation, the United States has provided more than 680,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Bhutan, including 51,480 Pfizer shots in September.
During her visit to Bhutan from September 26 to October 1, Patricia Lacina, the US chargé d’affaires in New Delhi, met with Dechen Wangmo. The health minister, to discuss bilateral cooperation on COVID-19 and to express her gratitude for Thimphu’s arduous efforts to tackle the epidemic.
Lacina also participated in a formal ceremony honoring the US-Bhutan collaboration in health and containing the epidemic with Agriculture and Forestry Minister Yeshey Penjor.
“The whole world is aware that Bhutan is a leader in global health challenges. “The government put in place a thorough strategy to protect the nation’s front-line healthcare providers and preserve its population when the COVID epidemic hit,” Lacina added.
“The US Government supplied vaccinations and other help, and after more than a decade of extensive health collaboration. We are happy to have assisted Bhutan in this incredible accomplishment,” she added.
For almost a decade, the Royal Center for Disease Control of Bhutan’s health ministry and the CDC have collaborated on influenza surveillance, pandemic planning, and influenza vaccine introduction for COVID-19.
Since the outbreak, Bhutan has collaborated with USAID, the CDC, HHS. And other US agencies to strengthen pandemic preparedness and response.
Also, USAID paid for programs to help the Bhutanese make a living, focusing on helping women and young people who had trouble making money during the epidemic.
The US has given Bhutan $9 million in foreign aid during the last 20 years. Bhutan and the US are prioritizing COVID-19 aid, livelihoods, renewable energy, disaster resilience, forestry management, biodiversity conservation, and water security.