An ambulance moves towards a hospital during the nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread coronavirus pandemic, in Calcutta, Thursday, April 16, 2020 PTIThe US has provided nearly USD 5.9 million in health assistance to India to contain the spread of Covid-19, the State Department has said. The assistance is also being used to mobilise innovative financing mechanisms for emergency preparedness and response to this pandemic. "This builds on a foundation of nearly USD 2.8 billion in total assistance, which includes more than USD 1.4 billion in health assistance, the United States has provided to India over the last 20 years," it said in a update of the US efforts in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The State Department and the US Agency for International Development have now committed nearly USD 508 million in emergency health, humanitarian, and economic assistance. In South Asia, America's Covid-19 assistance has gone to Afghanistan (USD 18 million), Bangladesh (USD 9.6 million), Bhutan (USD 500,000), Nepal (USD 1.8 million), Pakistan (USD 9.4 million) and Sri Lanka (USD 1.3 million).

Source: The Telegraph April 17, 2020 03:56 UTC