YEREVAN, August 18. /ARKA/. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $2 million grant from its Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) to support Armenia in its fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the press service of the ADB reported on Tuesday.
The grant, which is financed by the Government of Japan, will be used to upgrade laboratory diagnostic and testing capacity. The funds will also help finance the purchase of urgently needed medical equipment and supplies to improve treatment capacity including in critical care units.
ADB Country Director for Armenia Paolo Spantigati is quoted in the press release as saying that ADB is fully committed to helping Armenia through this difficult period. In his words, this assistance will help to meet the needs for appropriate medical services and supplies where required, and is in line with the government’s national response plan. “We will continue to work closely with the government and other development partners to combat the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
The Government of Armenia declared a state of emergency on 16 March and implemented a range of measures to restrict the spread of the disease, including quarantine measures.
On 13 April, ADB tripled to $20 billion its initial package to address the immediate needs of its developing member countries as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. ADB also approved measures to streamline its operations for quicker and more flexible delivery of assistance.
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. -0—
