Male, Maldives — The United States is donating 100,000 Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) to Maldives as part of its commitment to help the Maldivian people combat COVID-19. These tests, worth 4.56 million Maldivian rufiyaa ($300,000), were delivered today to the Maldives Ministry of Health through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
“The generosity of the American people will have life-saving impacts for Maldivians by enabling rapid detection of the virus,” said USAID Mission Director to Sri Lanka and Maldives, Reed Aeschliman. “This donation continues our strong partnership with Maldives to protect public health and support the Maldivian government’s response to the pandemic.”
These antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests directly detect the presence of the COVID-19 virus. The tests are simple to use and enable fast, decentralized access to direct testing. They do not require additional equipment or specialized laboratory access, which helps achieve high testing coverage.
The United States has committed over $4.6 million in emergency supplies, training, and critical services, plus an in-kind donation of 60 ventilators, to Maldives’ COVID-19 response and recovery. Through USAID, the U.S. has supported clinical training for hundreds of doctors and nurses on COVID case management. Working with local civil society organizations, USAID has helped expand COVID-19-related social protection services and implemented a COVID safety awareness campaign. The U.S. has also provided support to the Maldivian Government in developing effective economic, fiscal, and monetary measures in response to the pandemic and for Maldives’ long-term economic recovery.
Since 2001, the United States has worked in partnership with the government and people of Maldives to improve lives and livelihoods. The U.S. government has invested nearly $20 million in Maldives through USAID to help protect marine life and ecosystems, meet energy needs, provide clean drinking water, and strengthen institutional capacities of government bodies. USAID’s COVID-19 support builds on these investments by delivering technical assistance and training, strengthening health systems, and mobilizing critical supplies to bolster response and help the country recover.
