On May 26th, as part of the broad Allied efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, representatives of the United States military and NATO Headquarters/Sarajevo have donated critical supplies and medical equipment to the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The donation was delivered to the Ministry of Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It included dozens of thermometers, hundreds of face shield visors, five thousands masks, hundreds of protective goggles and suits, hundreds of blankets, pillows and bed linen sets and hundreds of litres of disinfectant. A similar delivery was made this past Friday (22 May 2020) to the Ministry of Health of Republika Srpska.
These supplies will assist frontline workers as they continue their important work to limit the spread of the Coronavirus and will provide further comfort to COVID-19 patients. They were delivered in response to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s request for assistance through the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC), NATO’s principal disaster response mechanism. The Centre operates on a 24/7 basis, coordinating requests from NATO Allies and partners, as well as offers of assistance to cope with the consequences of major crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is another concrete demonstration of Allied unity of efforts in support to partners at a crucial time for the preservation of Euro-Atlantic security. It is also a pivotal contribution to strengthen the resilience of the national authorities and population of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the past month, the U.S. Embassy Sarajevo’s Civil Military Support Element team and NATO provided critical supplies and disinfection equipment to the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Community Health Centers in Tuzla, Bijeljina, Nevesinje, and the Brcko District. The donations were made possible through support from the non-governmental organization Spirit of America and local businesses in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Also, in April, Bosnia and Herzegovina – together with other NATO Allies and partners in the Balkans region – received medical supplies from the United States, Hungary, Slovenia and Turkey. These included masks, overalls, and test kits.
