Tk 11b corona response project launched

Ministry of Health has come up with the “COVID-19 Emergency Response and Pandemic Preparedness” project, which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave nod to early this week, planning commission sources said.

Earlier, Planning Commission sent it to the Prime Minister for approval as all the government activities, including Ecnec meeting, have come to a halt following the countrywide shutdown.Under the scheme, testing benefits of the selected hospitals will be increased apart from procuring new corona treatment-related medical equipment and train up the health professionals.

Out of Tk 11.27 billion project cost, $100 million or nearly Tk 850 crore will come from the World Bank credit and the rest from the government exchequer.

“The project has been processed within a short period after getting it from the ministry of health on special consideration,” a planning commission high official informed.

Usually, any project is placed before the Ecnec meeting for approval after holding the project evaluation committee (PEC) meeting of the planning commission for necessary scrutiny.

“As the project has been undertaken on an emergency basis to fight COVID-19 and Ecnec meeting is now halted, it was sent to the Premier for quick approval,” the official added.

“There is a doubt whether any project had been approved such hurriedly earlier,” another planning commission high official added.It took only three days to hold the PEC meeting, recasting the project proposal and complete processing for the approval, he added.

Recently, the World Bank has approved $100 million credit for Bangladesh from its fast-track assistance package to help fight COVID-19 pandemic. The lender has formed a $160 billion special fund for COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the Economic Relations Division (ERD) has been asked to continue negotiating with the lender so that the project fund is quickly released to facilitate faster project implementation within one and a half years.

(DS)