A partnership between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Tajik Ministry of Health and Social Protection marked a significant milestone in their efforts to combat pandemics like COVID-19 in Tajikistan.
Since March 2020, USAID’s Health System Sustainability Project has played a critical role in helping the Tajik Health Ministry improve the national laboratory system and implement the National COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan.
The USAID initiative rolled out across 25 of Tajikistan’s 62 districts. During the past three years, USAID has supplied 10 laboratories in Tajikistan with essential equipment, including incubators for disease detection, 50 refrigerators, and a medical waste incinerator. Also, the project has trained 138 laboratory personnel on biosafety, biosecurity and quality management systems.
Although the program focused initially on COVID-19, the training and equipment could prove valuable in the fight against future outbreaks of disease in the country.
In addition, 3,800 Tajik health care workers were trained in data collection and infection prevention and control. Through its support of the government’s vaccination campaigns, the project significantly raised vaccination rates in the Sughd and Khatlon regions.
These efforts resulted in vaccination rates of 99% for first and second doses and 98% for initial booster doses among the targeted adult population.
Representatives of USAID and the Tajik Health Ministry discussed these achievements in COVID-19 prevention during a meeting in Dushanbe in February 2024.
“I am very proud of our successful cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, which is making important and innovative changes to the healthcare system of Tajikistan,” said Peter Riley, USAID mission director, at the project’s closing ceremony. Sources: ASIA-Plus, U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan