US mobilises $2.5m to support BD’s coronavirus readiness, response efforts

FT ONLINE 

The US government has mobilised $2.5 million through USAID to support Bangladesh’s COVID-19 readiness and response efforts. 

This USAID funding will support three priority areas -- strengthening infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in health facilities; improving specimen transport and referral systems; and increasing risk awareness communication and outreach. 

This builds upon ongoing USAID and other US government investments in the health sector.

Specifically, USAID is providing $700,000 to the World Health Organization to work in partnership with the government of Bangladesh for rapid diagnosis, case management, IPC, and awareness-raising concerning COVID-19. 

USAID is also providing $650,000 for its Infectious Disease Detection and Surveillance (IDDS) programme implemented by non-profit FHI360, and an additional $650,000 to Medicines, Technologies, and Pharmaceutical Services (MTaPS) Program implemented by non-profit Management Sciences for Health (MSH). 

These programmes will focus on infection prevention and control and sample transport and referral.

USAID is also providing financial assistance to Johns Hopkins University to develop and disseminate materials to raise wider awareness about COVID-19 in Bangladesh, particularly information critical for front line health care workers.

On March 11, US Ambassador Earl Miller met Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research Director Dr. Meerjady Sabrina Flora to notify her of this commitment and advise her of the US plan of action for this funding. 

They discussed ways to coordinate the two governments’ actions in countering COVID-19 in Bangladesh, and how future tranches of funding could be best allocated.

The US government has recently announced a commitment of $37 million in financing from the Emergency Reserve Fund for Contagious Infectious Diseases at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for 25 countries either affected by novel coronavirus COVID-19 or at high risk of its spread. 

The US government is providing these funds to the World Health Organization, other multilateral institutions, and programmes led by USAID implementing partners in individual countries. 

These are the first US government funds committed from a recent pledge of up to $100 million to be used worldwide.

As the COVID-19 outbreak expands geographically, the US government, through USAID and other agencies, will continue to play a vital role in supporting the global response, said the US Embassy here on Thursday.