Combating Covid-19: US to provide Bangladesh $173 million for response, recovery

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 1000 doctors' training on Covid-19 prevention and control today.

The $173 million US funding to Bangladesh, through USAID, is in addition to the nearly $37 million already provided to the country's Covid-19 response efforts.

"I am especially pleased our new USAID funding will provide life-saving food assistance to thousands of urban underprivileged people in Dhaka," said Earl Miller.

It will provide cash-based transfers for food to thousands of urban poor living in low-income areas of Kalyanpur and Sattala Slum, and help improve agriculture supply chains between farmers and markets affected by the pandemic, he said.

"This funding will also expand support for monitoring communities, improving infection prevention and control activities, and increasing knowledge and dispelling myths and misconceptions about the disease," Miller said.

USAID has recently partnered with Save the Children to support case management in coronavirus-dedicated hospitals in Bangladesh. USAID also developed an online reporting system for Covid-19 commodity management which is being used by 639 health facilities across the country, the US envoy also said.

The Directorate General of Health Services is also using this data management system to help ensure rational distribution of personal protective equipment and other Covid-19 response items, he added.

Wishing success to the doctors who either joined the training programme or have completed it, Earl Miller said, "You're truly Bangladesh's finest heroes."

The 1,000 doctors, who were provided a two-day in-person training under a joint USAID- DGHS initiative focused on Covid-19 infection prevention and control and case management, will now train 3,000 newly recruited nurses and other healthcare practitioners at their respective hospitals.