On October 21, 2020, UNDP delivered four ICU ventilators to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan, procured with $200.000 funding from the Coca-Cola Foundation. This vital equipment will provide care and treatment to COVID-19 patients in the Karakalpakstan region.

Soon after COVID-19 appeared in Uzbekistan, the Coca-Cola Foundation allocated a grant of $200,000 to be used in providing ventilators and other medical equipment, as part of humanitarian relief efforts. UNDP has been entrusted to deliver this equipment to regions of Uzbekistan which have required the most medical assistance.

At a Tashkent ceremony, Director of the Coca-Cola Foundation in Uzbekistan Shadab Akhmed Khan and UNDP Resident Representative Matilda Dimovska officially delivered the ventilators to Yahyo Soliev, representative of Karakalpakstan’s Ministry of Health. The ventilators are now being transported to Nukus, capital of the Karakalpakstan region, and are expected to arrive on October, 22.

Essential contributions of medical equipment funded by Coca-Cola Foundation
is aimed to help ensuring the best chances of survival for patients in Uzbekistan and has supported the country’s surge capacity to deliver testing services.

“It is encouraging to see that our cooperation has grown during these difficult times of the human crisis caused by COVID-19. This event has tied us together. This crisis has inspired our solidarity in supporting the people of Karakalpakstan, and in improving their health and well-being,” said Ms. Dimovska at her opening remarks.

“We have a history of successful cooperation with UNDP on other philanthropic projects in Uzbekistan and we are delighted to be cooperating with them again on this donation. Today we are happy to pass our first batch of the equipment, artificial ventilators, to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. We hope that this vital equipment will help to save lives. We express our infinite gratitude to the healthcare professionals who are on the front line. We do believe that soon the situation will get better and the values we are displaying of solidarity, agility, caring for our people and communities will continue to endure,” said Mr Shadab. 

UNDP Uzbekistan has been cooperating with the Coca-Cola Foundation since 2011. Five small-scale projects have received $505,000 in funding from the Coca-Cola Foundation in the past. Those projects were successfully implemented in remote rural areas of the Samarkand, Navoi and Karakalpakstan regions, in cooperation with national agencies and organizations.

“On behalf of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Karakalpakstan I’d like to express deep gratitude for the assistance provided to us. In this uneasy time, the system of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Karakalpakstan is doing all it can to combat COVID-19, providing the necessary medical care to patients. Naturally, the need for such equipment, as ICU devices, is growing,” said Mr. Soliev concluding the event.