The US State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide $1.3 million financial assistance to Sri Lanka to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

“$1.3 million will help the government prepare laboratory systems, activate case-finding and event-based surveillance, support technical experts for response and preparedness, risk communication, infection prevention and control, and more,” US State Department said in a press statement.

Over the past 20 years, U.S. investment in Sri Lanka has included more than $26 million in health alone out of more than $1 billion in total assistance.

The measure is a part of the U.S. Government’s $274 million emergency health and humanitarian assistance programme to help countries in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.