Georgia to receive 2,000 rapid tests from the US
By Anastasia Sokhadze
Tuesday, April 14
Kelly Degnan, the US ambassador to Georgia, stated that the Georgian government and Georgian people have acted quickly and efficiently to manage the crisis and reduce the spread of the virus. According to Degnan, the Embassy's Defense Threat Reduction Agency is planning to purchase 100,000 GEL worth of personal protective equipment and hand it over to the Georgian Ministry of Health.
“Today, when we are facing the COVID-19, I am especially proud of the achievements of the United States and Georgia in improving the public health system in Georgia,” stated Degnan.
The US has donated $140 million to the development of Georgia's strong flexible and high-quality national healthcare system. Also, The US Centers for Disease Control, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and the Walter Reed Military Research Institute, in partnership with senior officials from the Georgian Ministry of Health contribute to the development of the diagnostic testing capability of the virus at the Lugar Public Health Research Center.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which continues to implement broad-based assistance programs in agriculture, education, business development, democracy and justice, has just announced the emergency program in which $1,1 million was invested.
It is noteworthy to emphasise that, according to the ambassador, it is not only the US embassy that wants to help. Several American companies operating in Georgia have expressed readiness to help the country in this difficult situation. The members of the American Chamber of Commerce transferred GEL 3 million to the StopCoV fund. In addition, several American brand hotels, such as Marriott Hotel Mox, Radisson Park Hotel and Sheraton Grand, have offered the Georgian government to use the hotels for quarantine.
An ability to rapidly diagnose the virus is of invaluable help in curbing the exponential spread of the virus in many countries. Bosch’s new, fully automated rapid test can help medical facilities such as doctors’ offices, hospitals, laboratories, and health centers provide fast diagnoses.
