Press Release
Guatemala City – The United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has donated 50 new, state-of-the-art ventilators to Guatemala to assist its fight against COVID-19. The donation delivers on President Trump’s generous offer of these critically needed supplies, and supports Guatemala’s urgent response to the pandemic.
The ventilators, produced in the United States by Vyaire Medical, reflect cutting-edge, in-demand medical technology. They are compact and deployable, providing Guatemala with flexibility in treating patients affected by the virus.
U.S. Ambassador Guatemala, Luis. E. Arreaga said, “These ventilators are a critical, life-saving tool for our front-line health workers in the care and treatment of the most severe cases of COVID-19 in Guatemala. The U.S. government stands firmly with the people and government of Guatemala, united in the fight against this global pandemic.”
In addition to these ventilators, the U.S. government has provided nearly $10 million in new assistance to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including $6 million to support risk-reduction communications for public health and interventions in water, sanitation and hygiene; more than $2.4 million to strengthen Guatemalan health institutions the areas of infection prevention and control, disease-surveillance, and clinical case management; and $1.5 million to support small and medium sized enterprises in Guatemala’s Western Highlands.
For decades, the United States has been the world’s largest provider of bilateral assistance in health. Since 2009, American taxpayers have generously funded more than $100 billion in health assistance and nearly $70 billion in humanitarian assistance worldwide.
Through an All-of-America approach, the United States is providing life-saving support by coordinating with the Government of Guatemala and other stakeholders to identify priority areas for investment. Because an infectious-disease threat anywhere can become a threat everywhere, the United States calls on other donors to contribute to the global effort to combat COVID-19.
For more information about USAID’s response to COVID-19, please visit: https://www.usaid.gov/coronavirus-covid-19
###