Covid-19 Response Efforts: US declares $173m fund
The US has announced $173 million in new funding to support Bangladesh's Covid-19 response efforts and the development and economic recovery plan in the aftermath of the pandemic.
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller made the announcement at a virtual press conference following a ceremony to recognise the completion of 1,000 doctors' training on Covid-19 prevention and control yesterday.
The $173 million US funding to Bangladesh, through USAID, is in addition to the nearly $37 million already provided to Bangladesh's Covid-19 response efforts.
"I am especially pleased our new USAID funding will provide life-saving food assistance to thousands of urban under-privileged people in Dhaka," said Miller.
It will support a new programme to provide cash-based transfers for food to thousands of urban poor, living in low-income areas of Kalyanpur and Sattala Bosti, and help re-establish linkages between markets and farmers, by improving supply chains affected by this pandemic, he said.
USAID has recently partnered with Save the Children to support case management in Covid-19 hospitals in Bangladesh. USAID also developed an online reporting system for Covid-19 commodity management, Miller added.
Six hundred and thirty-nine health facilities out of 658 -- 97% of health facilities in the country -- are now using this online system for managing supplies used to treat Covid-19 patients. DGHS is also using this data management system to help ensure rational distribution of personal protective equipment and other Covid-19 response items, he added.
"I wish the doctors joining us today every success in this training program. And, I wish all the doctors who have participated in this program since its inception and all the frontline medical care workers who will receive training from them, my best wishes and heartfelt thanks."
"You're truly Bangladesh's finest heroes," he added.
The 1,000 doctors were provided two-day in-person training under a joint USAID-DGHS initiative focused on Covid-19 infection prevention and control and case management.
The training, implemented by international NGO Management Sciences for Health, will enable participating doctors and nurses to effectively treat infected persons while keeping themselves safe and helping to reduce the spread of the virus.
The 1,000 trained doctors will train 3,000 newly recruited nurses and other health care practitioners in their respective hospitals.
Prof Dr Saniya Tahmina, additional director general at the DGHS, USAID Mission Director Brown and USAID Health Adviser Dr Riad Mahmud were also present at the conference.
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