Coronavirus: UK to give Tk218 crore in aid to Bangladesh

The United Kingdom has announced an aid of nearly Tk218 crore - around £21 million - to help the Bangladesh government carry out its plans to fight the coronavirus outbreak, as set out in the national preparedness and response plan.

The announcement was made by the British high commission in Dhaka on Monday.

The aid is also intended to support preparedness for the pandemic in the Rohingya refugee camps, it said.

The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Bank will receive £7 million, equivalent to around Tk72.8 crore, each to help prepare the national health systems, that include managing logistics and procuring supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers, laboratory supplies for testing, and oxygen support in hospitals.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will receive £3 million - around Tk31.2 crore - with which it will be able to reach at least 2.16 million people in urban slums across 20 cities, with awareness raising information and handwashing facilities, in coordination with local health services.

Over £1 million - Tk10.4 crore - will go to Brac, which has mobilized its nationwide network of 50,000 community health workers and volunteers to raise awareness of Covid-19 in their communities.

More than Tk100 crore - over £10 million - will go to existing United Nations and non-governmental organization partners to maintain essential humanitarian services and prepare the Rohingya and host communities for Covid-19. They will establish treatment centres, distribute soaps, build more handwashing facilities, raise awareness about personal hygiene, and reach out directly to vulnerable older people with advice.