$100m loan deal signed with ADB to fight Covid-19

The government has signed a $100-million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to get support in its efforts to address the immediate public health requirements for mitigating the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fatima Yasmin, secretary at the Economic Relations Division, and Manmohan Parkash, ADB country director, signed the agreement remotely on behalf of their respective sides.

ADB's board of directors approved the assistance on April 30 last.

Manmohan Parkash said Bangladesh has taken decisive actions to manage the Covid-19 outbreak, and this assistance will support the government's efforts in mitigating the health sector challenges in short and medium terms.

The assistance under the Covid-19 Response Emergency Assistance Project will help to strengthen Bangladesh's response to the Covid-19 outbreak by providing urgent health equipment, medical supplies, diagnostic systems and upgrading of the capacity of the health workforce.

The project will equip 17 medical college hospitals with isolation and critical care units. Capacity and quality of at least 19 laboratories will be upgraded with Covid-19 microbiological diagnostic facilities.

At least 3,500 health sector workers, about 50 percent of whom are women, will be trained in modern skills and knowledge, and the recruitment of more health professionals and technical staff will be supported.