US Provides US$55 Million To Thailand To Help Myanmar Refugees And Mitigate COVID-19

By Linda Khoo Hui Li BANGKOK, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- The United States (US) is providing US$55 million in assistance to Thailand, with US$50 million going mainly toward humanitarian response efforts to more than 700,000 refugees and internally displaced people from Myanmar. Visiting US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced the US government aid will flow directly through international and non-governmental organisation partners. The aid is to provide emergency food assistance, lifesaving protection, shelter, essential health care, water, sanitation, and hygiene services to vulnerable people from Myanmar. Besides that, she said the US is giving US$5 million in COVID-19 assistance for Thailand to provide support to healthcare workers administering vaccines and strengthen Thailand’s health system’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to COVID-19. “We also know that Thailand is dealing with additional pressures, including responding to humanitarian needs resulting from the crisis in Burma. “So today, I am proud to announce the US government is providing US$55 million in assistance, the vast majority of which is going toward humanitarian response efforts. We are also providing assistance to support the pandemic response that will help alleviate the strain on Thailand’s health systems. These resources will help ensure Thailand, and NGOs and international organisations can both respond to the COVID-19 crisis and meet the needs of vulnerable people, particularly in the Thai border area. She said this when visiting Med Park Hospital Vaccination Center in Bangkok today where the 1.5 million doses of Pfizer vaccine provided by the US is being administered. “We are proud to say we will soon be providing another 1 million doses,” she said. Over the last 24 hours, Thailand recorded 19,843 new COVID-19 cases and a record high of 235 new fatalities bringing the total infections in the kingdom to 795,951 and 6,588 deaths to date. Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration said of the 19,843 new cases, 21 were imported cases including three returnees via natural borders from Malaysia. Over the last 24 hours, it said Bangkok being, the epicentre of the latest outbreak logged 4,226 new COVID-19 cases and 111 fatalities. CCSA said the new fatalities involved 122 men and 113 women aged between 20 and 100 years old including two foreigners. -- BERNAMA