The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population (MOHSPP) marks its achievements in responding and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since March 2020, USAID’s Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) activity has supported MOHSPP to strengthen Tajikistan’s national laboratory system and support the country’s COVID-19 Country Preparedness and Response Plan.
LHSS implemented activities in a total of 25 districts (out of a total 62 nationwide), 16 in the Khatlon Region, eight in the Sughd Region, and one in the Districts of Republican Subordination.
During the last three years, LHSS has provided equipment for 10 laboratories, including Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machines, 50 refrigerators, and a medical waste incinerator. Beyond that, LHSS trained all 138 COVID-19 laboratory technicians on biosafety and biosecurity, quality management systems and 3,800 health care workers on data collection, infection prevention and control.
LHSS contributed to decreasing myths and misinformation around vaccination and strengthened community perceptions of COVID-19 inoculation. Supporting government efforts to deploy and administer World Health Organization-approved COVID-19 vaccines, vaccination rates of Sughd and Khatlon regions achieved 99% for first and second dose and 98% for first booster in the adult target population.
“I am very proud of our fruitful collaboration with MOHSPP that brings such a fundamental, innovative change to the health system of Tajikistan and supports better COVID-19 testing,” noted Peter Riley, USAID Mission Director at the activity’s close out ceremony.
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