The United States donates 35,000 surgical masks for medical personnel to combat COVID-19
June 9, 2020
As a key partner to El Salvador in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States government has donated 35,000 surgical masks to the Ministry of Health (MINSAL) and Presidential House (CAPRES). The donation was made by U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson and was received by the Presidential Commissioner for Strategic Projects, Luis Rodriguez.
This donation, valued at $30,000, is offered by the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador through the U.S. Southern Command’s Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP). The masks will be distributed by MINSAL to personnel on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The HAP program is preparing an additional donation of 10,000 face shields for MINSAL and CAPRES, also valued at $30,000.
The United States has been a strong ally and reliable partner of El Salvador for decades. For more than 50 years, the U.S. Southern Command has focused its efforts on developing ties and strengthening this partnership with El Salvador, which has included a wide variety of humanitarian projects. Now these efforts are focused on confronting the COVID-19 pandemic, a global priority.
Since the beginning of the emergency, the United States has donated nearly $72 million to address the COVID-19 pandemic, improve security, strengthen the Salvadoran economy, and support the fight against irregular migration to the United States.