U.S. Support to Egypt’s COVID-19 Response

The Ministry of International Cooperation and the Ministry of Social Solidarity in Egypt with the United States Government through USAID and the Egyptian Red Crescent launched today the initiative to support ERC’s network of 30,000 volunteers and health care professionals to conduct community outreach and help prevent the spread of COVID-19, as well as build ERC’s capacity to respond to future crises.

USAID's assistance will support the distribution of hygiene kits to vulnerable rural and urban demographics and supplement ERC's mobile resource centers to expand awareness of safe hygiene practices and provide initial fever screenings, in addition to providing psycho-social support services to healthcare workers.

USAID also facilitated a partnership between Uber and ERC for Uber to provide reliable transportation solutions for ERC’s front line health workers.

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, said that this project is the first development project to be launched through social media. It brings together key partners, including civil society and the private sector, to work together to meet the needs of the Egyptian market and to achieve social development and economic growth.

"We are proud of our cooperation with the United States Agency for Development to support the activities of the Egyptian Red Crescent, one of the most important and oldest civil society organizations in Egypt, which carries out many development activities in the health and relief sectors in Egypt," said Nivine Riad El-Kabbag, Minister of Social Solidarity, stressing that this stage requires the support of international organizations in providing the maximum possible protection for all humanity.

El-Kabbag added that cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development in supporting health and relief will have a major impact on the development of Egyptian Red Crescent services and their access to more beneficiaries.

She said that the aspects of cooperation include remote training, setting up and equipping mobile health and social services centers, renewing the central operating room, providing psychological support to the injured and their families, volunteer management at the local level, and other related services.