New Delhi: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved an additional $1 million grant to Maldives from its Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) to further support the government’s emergency response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Due to the continuing spread of COVID-19, Maldives has extended its state of public health emergency until 7 August.
“ADB is committed to supporting Maldives in responding to its needs particularly at this time,” said ADB’s Unit Head for Project Administration M. Shahadat Russell. “Our support will help Maldives improve its emergency response with the resources and expertise that are needed to fight the spread of the coronavirus and protect the livelihood of its people.”
The grant, which is financed by the Government of Japan, will help alleviate financial, logistical, and other constraints that the government is facing. It will be used to purchase essential medical supplies such as test kits and reagents, personal protective equipment (PPE), laboratory equipment, and other medical goods and supplies. The grant will also be used for the salary and transportation allowance of health workers, laboratory experts, and other front liners, as well as for the recruitment of additional medical professionals.
On 25 June, ADB approved a $50 million budget support package for Maldives comprising a $25 million grant and a $25 million concessional loan. ADB has separately approved grants of $500,000 from the APDRF and $798,000 from the Technical Assistance for Regional Support to Address the Outbreak of COVID-19 and Potential Outbreaks of Other Communicable Diseases for Maldives. These grants have funded the purchase of urgently needed PPEs to enable medical personnel to safely treat infected patients, as well as medical equipment to be installed in health facilities.
ADB’s $50 million COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support (CARES) Program is funded through the COVID-19 pandemic response option (CPRO) under ADB’s Countercyclical Support Facility. CPRO was established as part of ADB’s $20 billion expanded assistance for developing member countries’ pandemic response, which was announced on 13 April. Visit ADB’s website to learn more about our ongoing response.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.
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