BEIJING, April 17 (APP): The Chinese government has earmarked $10 million in its Poverty Reduction and Regional Cooperation Fund to support the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in assisting its developing member countries (DMCs) to address the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) challenges.
The fund would provide support to a broad range of operations, including not only the purchase of medical supplies and equipment but also the health sector reforms and development, as well as capacity building, training, and knowledge sharing, Director General of ADB’s Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department Woochong Um, in a press statement here on Friday, said.
“As ADB continues to formulate a quick and flexible set of financing commitments to its DMCs, this funding support from the Chinese government will further help countries in implementing their pandemic responses,” he said. “It will also help promote better coordination regionally to prevent and respond to disease outbreaks.”
Some $8 million was added to the $2 million approved by the Chinese government on April 8 to help in the procurement of needed medical supplies as well as in capacity building for medical staff in DMCs, and development and dissemination of regionwide risk communication materials to address public fears over the COVID-19 pandemic.
