ADB provides $231,178 grant to augment Covid-19 facilities in Bangladesh

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing a grant of $231,178 to augment novel coronavirus disease related facilities in 134 urban primary health centres, called Nogor Swastho Kendro, across the country.

The health centres are providing primary healthcare services to the urban poor under the ADB-supported Urban Primary Health Care Services Delivery Project in nine city corporations and four municipalities, said a press release.

 "We are pleased to provide this grant assistance to further strengthen government's efforts in managing the Covid-19 pandemic and delivering related services to the people," said Country Director Manmohan Parkash.

"This initiative will be a model of providing both Covid and non-Covid-related healthcare services for over 8 million urban poor through Nogor Swastho Kendro in Bangladesh."

"The programme will also create awareness about Covid-19 prevention and management and help the health workers and doctors to detect and treat patients early," Parkash added.

The assistance will help set up hand washing stations and screening booths, provide WHO standard personal protective equipment (PPE) suits to about 2,700 doctors and health workers working under the project, launch awareness programmes about Covid-19 prevention and management, and provide training on Covid-19 detection and treatment to health workers and doctors.

 The grant assistance is sourced from ADB's Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund, under the Urban Financing Partnership Facility.

 ADB has a strong track record of responding rapidly to provide targeted support to Bangladesh in times of emergencies. On 7 May, ADB approved $500 million to strengthen Bangladesh's efforts to mitigate the socio-economic impact of Covid-19.

On 30 April, ADB approved a $100 million concessional loan to support the government of Bangladesh in its efforts to address the immediate public health requirements of combatting the pandemic.

As an immediate response, ADB had released a $350,000 emergency grant for the procurement of medical supplies and equipment, and $1.3 million from an existing project to provide one-time cash support to 22,619 trainees to enable them to continue their ongoing skills training programme.

 On 13 April, ADB tripled the size of its initial response to Covid-19 to $20 billion and approved measures to streamline its operations for quicker and more flexible delivery of assistance to help its developing member countries counter the severe macroeconomic and health impacts caused by the pandemic.