The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) Tajikistan has received an in-kind donation from the Government of Poland of emergency and medical items worth 50,000 USD, to be used in preventing and decreasing the spread of COVID-19 in Tajikistan, according to AKAH Tajikistan.

The items which include 1,000 pieces of PRO-TEX 7050 personal protective equipment (PPE) and 128 boxes of Nitrile gloves, were reportedly received as part of support to the ongoing COVID-19 response efforts of the relevant agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Tajikistan, including the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and the Aga Khan Health Service (AKHS), to the Government of Tajikistan.  As such, from next week, the donated items will be distributed to target institutional and community partners across the country, starting from Khorog in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).

CEO Hadi Husani accepted the donation on behalf of AKAH Tajikistan from Dr. Wojtek Wilk, Head of the Poland Emergency Management Team (EMT) and CEO of the PCPM - Polish Center for International Aid.  He noted the how vital this support is, saying “The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat Tajikistan teams and volunteers have been working tirelessly in various communities across the country to provide the necessary assistance to set up quarantine centers, raise awareness, and distribute vital medical and humanitarian items.  This partnership with the Government of Poland is therefore an indication of the commitment of the international community to stand with the people of Tajikistan as we defeat this pandemic together.” 

Dr. Wilk on his part expressed the commitment of the Government of Poland in assisting with the management of the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan, during which for over two weeks, part of the Polish Emergency Medical Team PCPM supported hospitals and clinics in GBAO.  “In these times of closed borders and airports, and suspended air travel, I much appreciate the logistical support rendered to our Emergency Medical Team by the Polish government.  Without air transportation, we could not have reached Tajikistan with surge medical support, and delivery of medical supplies. The in-kind assistance is also our vote of thanks for the hospitality of the people and medical staff of Khorog, Murgab and other locations we worked in GBAO”, says Dr. Wilk.  “I hope that the support of Polish doctors has been a steadfast show of solidarity that you are not alone in tackling this horrible pandemic”, he concluded.

As AKAH Tajikistan and the other agencies within AKDN continue mobilizing resources, improving capacities, and distributing critical relief items to support the Government of Tajikistan in managing the ongoing emergency situation of the COVID-19 outbreak, donations such as these are particularly vital.

Recall, AKAH Tajikistan on July 4 made a significant donation of medical and emergency response supplies worth over TJS 255,000 to the GBAO regional hospital n Khorog. 

The items included water heaters, five refrigerators, 10 air conditioners, three stove burners, and 15 electric water boilers.  Other items included 424 pieces each of mattresses, thick blankets, pillows, and linen, and 75 pieces of thin summer blankets.

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 will include Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and India. 

The Polish Center for International Aid (PCPM):  PCPM provides humanitarian aid for the Syrian refugees in Lebanon and for the victims of hunger in South Sudan, as well as recovery / transition assistance in Lebanon and Iraq through EU MADAD Trust Fund.  PCPM also provides development aid in Ethiopia, Kenya, occupied Palestinian territories and Georgia, and life-saving relief to victims of natural disasters through PCPM’s Emergency Response Team / Type 1 Emergency Medical Team.