Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency), the representative organization of Republic of Korea for development of cooperation, in response to the disaster of Corona Virus Infectious Disease-19 (COVID-19) delivered food and hygiene products to the vulnerable social group and medical facility in three regions of Uzbekistan (Tashkent, Samarkand, Andijan) from May 9 to May 14.

Aim was to support medical personnel who are serving in the quarantine facility (Republican Clinical Hospital No.2) and socially vulnerable groups for whom it is difficult to secure food due to COVID-19. Food packages were delivered totally for 2,468 households. Each food package consists of 9 essential items (rice, beans, macaroni, canned meat, flour, cooking oil, tea, sugar, etc.). Besides, 268 medical personnel were supplied also with hygiene goods for usage during 15 days.

The support was made in cooperation KOICA Uzbekistan office with 9 local partner institutions. It is significant that not only in Tashkent, but also it was the first foreign aid to reach out to the vulnerable groups in Samarkand and Andijan regions through Sponsoring and Coordination Center.

Through cooperation and discussion KOICA with the Sponsoring Coordination Center which was established as an emergency response and support organization for COVID-19 in April 2020 under the Ministry of Mahalla and Family Affairs, essential items based on local demand were delivered in a timely manner.

In addition, Republican Clinical Hospital No.2, one of the sponsored organizations, is an organization where WFK Global Cooperation Doctor is working. So through this doctor made 'Corona Q&A Corner Operation' for local residents after the occurrence of corona virus issue, and caring online classes for university students and medical personnel to continue medical education and improvement of the medical environment by providing essential hygiene items in actual medical institution.

On 14 May, in Tashkent goods delivery ceremony attended officials from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Uzbekistan, KOICA Director Son Sung-il, WFK Global Cooperation Doctor Song Young-il, Deputy Minister of Family Affairs Botir Parpiev and Deputy Director of Republican Clinical Hospital No.2 Abdurahmanov Jamshid. Deputy Minister of Mahalla and Family Affairs Botir Parpiev said, “Thank you very much for the support of the Korean government and KOICA, we hope to support and cooperate in various ways in the future.”

Meanwhile, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Uzbekistan provided medical equipment including COVID-19 diagnostic kits worth USD 250,000 as humanitarian aid, and on May 5, KOICA Uzbekistan office provided a total of 28 pieces of COVID-19 disaster response goods to the Tashkent Homeless Support Center together with the KOICA Training Alumni Association.

Keimyung University, which is a partner of KOICA and “Samarkand Vocational Training Center Entrepreneurship Enhancement Project”, also contributed to the community through USD 2,000 cash grant to the Samarkand region and about USD 500 to the school No. 54 in the region. Through this support, we aimed to promote a win-win path and overcome COVID-19 together.

Since its establishment in 1991, KOICA has been inviting to the training in Korea, dispatching Korean experts and volunteers in such fields as education, health-medical care, public administration, technology, environment, energy, agriculture, forestry and fisheries to 44 countries including Rwanda, Jordan, Cambodia and Peru. Besides, KOICA is an agency that conducts Korea’s foreign trade cooperation projects such as development analysis, infrastructure construction, NGO support, disaster recovery support, and international organization cooperation projects.