FACT SHEET
Humanitarian and Health Assistance from the United States to Ecuador In Response to the COVID-19 Crisis
(Updated February 22, 2021)
“This support demonstrates the strong commitment of the United States to the well-being of the Ecuadorian people and especially to its health system in facing this unprecedented crisis, which affects us all.”
— Ambassador Michael J. Fitzpatrick
As part of the comprehensive and supportive response of the American people to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the United States government supports a wide range of assistance projects and programs in Ecuador totaling over $32 million. We also have strong support from the private sector and civil society in the United States.
- Ventilators: In a conversation with President Moreno, President Trump pledged the donation of ventilators. The first delivery of 50 ventilators arrived in Ecuador in early July. The second delivery of 200 ventilators arrived in Ecuador in early August 2020.
- Assistance to the Health Sector: $8 million from USAID to improve health and hygiene systems; support transportation and logistics; strengthen risk communication; provide training in health crisis response; increase testing capacity; and strengthen clinical management. This assistance will be implemented through international and national organizations, including UNICEF, the World Food Program, the Ecuadorian Red Cross, among others.
- Food Assistance: $5 million from USAID that the World Food Program (WFP) to benefit approximately 100,000 Ecuadorians.
- Small scale HAP: More than $307,000 in personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical items donated by the Office of Security Cooperation humanitarian assistant program. Equipment will go to those working on the front lines in hospitals, health centers, and municipalities. The PPE is purchased from local Ecuadorian companies.
- Long-term HAP: $900,000 in 2 field hospitals for the Ministry of Health and Risk Management Directorate and 1 Mobile Health Clinic for Imbabura Province donated by the Office of Security Cooperation humanitarian assistant program.
- Rapid Test Kits: $300,000 in rapid test kits from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for a project funded in part with a $6 million grant from the government of the United States. Ecuador is receiving machines, thousands of diagnostic tests, laboratory materials, and personal protective equipment.
- Assistance to Refugees, Migrants, and Host Communities: More than $5.5 million to support refugees, migrants, and host communities in Ecuador during the COVID-19 crisis. This aid brings the total of support.
- Assistance for Economic Reactivation: The Development Finance Corporation (DFC) signed agreements with Banco Pichincha and Banco de Guayaquil to promote Ecuador’s economic reactivation and development through $242 million in new credit for small and medium-sized enterprises, and in particular women-led businesses.
- Technical Assistance for Guayaquil: In response to a request from the Municipality of Guayaquil, USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance formed a local technical assistance team that included medical specialists, psychologists, and technicians. This team provided technical assistance to the provincial and local emergency operations committees in epidemiological analysis and response, mental health and post-traumatic stress, and in protocols to guide the work of local front-line personnel in Guayaquil.
- Strengthening Joint Task Force Capacity: The United States Southern Command and the Special Health Team of the Guayas Joint Task Force, through a videoconference, exchanged lessons learned and best practices for the handling of bodies and thus help to families of victims of COVID-19.
“COVID-19 forced us to cover our smiles with masks, but we learned to smile with our eyes; it forced us to keep our distance, but it brought us closer through technology; it made many things change, but what did not change were the strong ties that unite our countries and have become even closer.”
— Brian Quigley, United States Consul General in Ecuador
Examples from the U.S. Private Sector
- Burger King handed out burgers to medical and security personnel who were working day-to-day against COVID-19 at hospitals and ECU 911 centers across the country, among others.
- Cargill committed to deliver polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test kits to SOLCA in Guayaquil.
- Dunkin Donuts visited several hospitals and brought a sweet recognition to the doctors and nurses who work each day to combat COVID-19.
- Dominos donated $145,500, or the equivalent of 12,000 pizzas, to hospitals, firefighters, the armed forces, police, health centers, and other organizations that are working every day to fight COVID-19 in Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca, and Ambato.
- General Motors has taken various actions to benefit the community in response to the pandemic. Among these are repairing ventilators (more than 200) at its assembly plant in Quito and returning them to public hospitals.
- McDonald’s delivered 10,000 hamburgers and chicken nuggets to doctors, nurses, and all who work tirelessly to combat COVID-19.
Examples from U.S. Civil Society
- The U.S. NGO Charity Anywhere donated an air cargo shipment of eight metric tons in medical supplies, including masks, gloves, surgical gowns, and biological protection suits.
- The Association Sister Cities Houston Guayaquil raised $15,000 to donate to the Diakonia Food Bank. The funds went directly to the Diakonia Food Bank to support their efforts to bring food to the most vulnerable sectors of Guayaquil.
- The Healing Hands Foundation donated a total of nine tons of medical equipment, including PPE, to Quito, Guayaquil, La Mana, and Pujilí. This organization, based in the state of Maryland, has been working in Ecuador for several years, providing a range of medical services to vulnerable populations in cities across the country.
“We are in this together, and together we will get through it. The United States remains committed to the people of Ecuador and we will accompany them in this time of need.”
— Ambassador Michael J. Fitzpatrick.
