The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) Tajikistan has presented medical and emergency response items to the local governments of Khatlon and Sughd to aid ongoing COVID-19 response efforts in these regions, according to the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
The donations are AKAH’s first official COVID-19 support to the Khatlon and Sughd local governments. They reportedly come as local institutions and communities in the region are ramping up efforts to curb the spread of the virus. The donated items included chlorine, antiseptics, disposable masks, latex gloves, PPE sets, FFP 2 respirators, mattresses, blankets, cordons, gloves, shoe covers, diesel and petrol.
Deputy Head of the Emergencies Committee Anvar Qosimov, who received the items in Sughd, said, “These items we have received today will be used at the quarantine centers and will go a long way in helping to curb the spread of the virus in the Sughd area. Eradicating this virus across Tajikistan requires all hands on deck, and we’re glad to have the support of our international partners in this regard.”
AKAH’s head of Emergency Management Department Najib Yaminov, who was present for both donations, noted in Khatlon, “AKAH has been working closely with local government and communities and providing crucial support in managing the coronavirus outbreak in Tajikistan, and we’re very pleased to be able to bring this support today.”
AKAH Tajikistan and the other agencies within the Aga Khan Development Network, are continuing in their support to the Government of Tajikistan and various local institutional by mobilizing resources, improving capacities, and distributing critical care during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak across the country.
The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH), which merges the capabilities of Focus Humanitarian Assistance, the Aga Khan Planning and Building Services, and the Aga Khan Development Network’s Disaster Risk Management Initiative, focuses on preparing for both sudden and slow-onset disasters. AKAH works to ensure that poor people live in physical settings that are as safe as possible from the effects of natural disasters; that residents who do live in high-risk areas are able to cope with disasters in terms of preparedness and response; and that these settings provide access to social and financial services that lead to greater opportunity and a better quality of life. Initially, priority areas of AKAH include Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and India.
