AKIPRESS.COM - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved an additional $2.5 million grant to Tajikistan from its Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) to further support the government’s emergency response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

“ADB is fully committed to helping Tajikistan minimize health and economic impacts of the pandemic in the country,” said ADB Country Director for Tajikistan Pradeep Srivastava. “This grant will help Tajikistan purchase urgently needed medical supplies to respond to COVID-19 in line with its national response plan. We will continue working closely with the government and other development partners to help ensure a coordinated and effective response.”

The new grant, which is financed by the Government of Japan, will be used to improve laboratory diagnostic and testing capacity. The grant will also finance the procurement of medical equipment or other measures to help the government meet its most urgent gaps in fighting the pandemic.

The grant complements ADB’s previous COVID-19 assistance to Tajikistan including a $50 million budget support grant under the COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support Program to help fund the government’s comprehensive response plan and countercyclical measures; a $928,200 grant from the ADB’s ongoing regional technical assistance to procure urgently needed personal protective equipment for healthcare staff; and a $100,000 grant reallocated from the Tajikistan Maternal and Child Health Integrated Care Project to procure medical supplies.