Japan will provide $10 million to Bangladesh for buying medical equipment to strengthen the health system of hospitals, in particular ICUs for treating the COVID-19 patients, the embassy said.
Japan Ambassador to Bangladesh ITO Naoki and Finance Ministry’s Economic Relation Division (ERD) secretary Fatima Yasmin signed an ‘Exchange of Notes’ on Japanese grant “Economic and Social Development Programme” on behalf of their respective sides on Thursday.
In Bangladesh, in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, enhancing the capacity of medical institutions is an urgent issue, said the release.
Japan has so far provided approximately $12 million as the emergency support to tackle COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh through international organizations like UNICEF, IOM, UNHCR, UNDP, FAO, UNWomen and IFRC, and provided PPE to hospitals though Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The government of Japan will extend further support in Bangladesh, and continue to take a leading and active approach to overcome this global crisis, according to the statement.