US provides $22m to Bangladesh to fight COVID-19

The US government has provided over 22 million US dollar to Bangladesh to help contain the spread of coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic.

US embassy in Dhaka issued a statement in this regard on Thursday (May 7).

US ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller was addressing the virtual launching ceremony of an online training course for Bangladeshi doctors over COVID-19 at the support of United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The US government provides the fund through USAID and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that builds on more than $1 billion in
health assistance provided to Bangladesh over the past 20 years.

Miller said the US was one of the first countries in the world to provide funds for Bangladesh’s COVID-19 readiness and response efforts.

The US envoy said, this support combined with ongoing training and guidance from CDC and USAID public health experts and their partners, will continue to strengthen disease preparedness, detection, and response systems.

The USIAD, Bangladesh Health and Family Welfare Ministry and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) jointly created the online training course on COVID-19 for Bangladeshi doctors through the US government funding.

The course will provide doctors with useful information on COVID-19, including how to deal with it as a health professional while ensuring one’s own protection and safety, and can be accessed for free by doctors anywhere in Bangladesh through the government’s e-learning platform Muktopaath.

Dhaka/Hasan/AI