Japan provides PPEs to Bangladesh in coronavirus response

Japan on Tuesday handed over quality assured personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to aid Bangladesh in its fight against coronavirus.  

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki and Chief Representative of JICA Bangladesh office Hirata Hitoshi handed over medical logistics

The support is a part of technical cooperation to implement capacity building for COVID-19 countermeasures, said the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka.

Some 2,000 sets of PPEs, including masks, gowns and goggles, will be distributed to health workers engaged in the project of "Strengthening Health Systems through Organising Communities (SHASTO)" in Narsingdi, Cox's Bazaar and Dhaka city north. Another 2,000 sets will be given to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Kurmitola General Hospital and Kuwait Maitree Hospital through the project "Capacity Building for Nursing Services".

Bangladesh has so far recorded 16,660 confirmed coronavirus cases and 250 deaths. Hundreds of new cases are being detected every day over the past few days. Doctors, nurses, health work professionals and members of the law enforcement have been infected.

The government of Japan has provided approximately $ 10 million as the emergency support to prevent COVID-19 infection in Bangladesh through international organisations like UNICEF, IOM, UNHCR and IFRC.

Japan and JICA are considering further support to Bangladesh, and will continue to take a leading and active approach to this global crisis, the embassy said.