U.S. Planning Yemen Aid To Fight Coronavirus, Possible Ventilator Donation To African Nations; Afghan Peace Process Threatened By Coronavirus; U.S. Deporting Migrants To Vulnerable Nations

POLITICO: Trump, the ‘King of Ventilators,’ may donate some machines to African countries
“U.S. officials are drafting a plan to donate ventilators to African countries battling the novel coronavirus, an effort that comes as President Donald Trump boasts of how recently ramped-up production has made him the ‘king of ventilators.’ The still-preliminary plan, confirmed by two Trump administration officials, could save lives on a continent sorely lacking such machines and enhance America’s standing in the face of Chinese efforts to gain diplomatic dominance across Africa…” (Toosi, 4/21).

Reuters: U.S. readying ‘substantial’ aid to help Yemen fight coronavirus
“The United States is preparing a ‘substantial contribution’ to help Yemen combat the coronavirus, but it may have to find alternatives to the World Health Organization (WHO) to spend it, a senior U.S. official told Reuters, days after President Donald Trump slammed the U.N. agency’s handling of the pandemic…” (Pamuk/Nichols, 4/21).

Reuters: Afghan prisoner exchanges, U.S. peace plan threatened by coronavirus
“The coronavirus pandemic threatens to unravel a U.S. effort to end the war in Afghanistan if Taliban and government prisoners die in custody before they can be exchanged, four sources familiar with the matter said on Monday. Keeping the U.S. peace plan on track has acquired particular urgency as the spring fighting season nears, two sources said, given the danger that accelerating violence could make it harder to contain the COVID-19 respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus…” (Landay, 4/21).

Washington Post: U.S. is deporting infected migrants back to vulnerable countries
“…Since the coronavirus struck the United States, immigration authorities have deported dozens of infected migrants, leaving governments and nonprofits across Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean struggling to respond. When some countries resisted continued deportations, U.S. officials said they would screen migrants slated for removal. But they did not commit to administering coronavirus tests. In many instances, the screenings, which consist primarily of taking a person’s temperature, have failed to detect cases. Even though overall deportations declined this month, the United States has returned thousands of people across the Western Hemisphere in April…” (Sieff/Miroff, 4/21).

The KFF Daily Global Health Policy Report summarized news and information on global health policy from hundreds of sources, from May 2009 through December 2020. All summaries are archived and available via search.

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