ADB donates medical equipment to assist Lao COVID-19 response

The Ministry of Health has welcomed a donation of US$1.3 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday for medical equipment and health worker training to assist Laos’ prevention and control efforts against COVID-19.
The donated medical equipment, under a COVID-19 response grant facilitated by ADB, was handed over to Minister of Health, Associate Prof. Dr Bounkong Syhavong by ADB Country Director to the Lao PDR, Mr Yasushi Negishi, and witnessed by senior ministry officials.
The donation includes personal protective equipment and medical supplies such as masks, head caps, shoe covers, gloves, and medical protective respirators to ensure frontline health workers have the resources to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, according to a press release from ADB.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Bounkong Syhavong thanked ADB for providing the medical equipment to Laos as a contribution to thwarting the coronavirus.

He highlighted that the ADB had been a long-standing and supportive partner to the Ministry of Health, from its preparedness and containment activities aimed at mitigating the spread of infectious diseases and pandemic threats like Avian Influenza to the current COVID-19 response.
“ADB’s timely support, with these medical supplies, will contribute significantly to the current efforts of the government to contain the COVID-19 outbreak and enhance the safety of our frontline health workers who are continuously being exposed to the risk of COVID-19,” Dr Bounkong said.
The grant of US$1.3 million is under ADB knowledge and technical support entitled ‘Regional Support to Address the Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Potential Outbreak of other Communicable Diseases Project’.
The regional technical assistance project is financed on a grant basis by ADB’s Technical Assistance Special Fund, the People’s Republic of China Poverty Reduction and Regional Cooperation Fund, and the Republic of Korea e-Asia and Knowledge and Partnership Fund.  This supports ADB’s developing member countries, including Laos, in bolstering their health systems and multisectorial capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on May 25, approved a US$20 million loan to support Laos’ response to the novel coronavirus pandemic assisting the Ministry of Health in procuring personal protective equipment, laboratory equipment, testing kits, medical devices, and ambulances, the ministry reported recently.
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.

By Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
(Latest Update August 30, 2020)