The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide US$ 30 million loans to help Myanmar to access health service in the region and to respond to the coronavirus disease, according to an announcement released by ADB on 9 October.

It is an additional loan that will be provided to the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) health security project. The loan will help the development of the government’s healthcare and management sector in the township hospitals in 31 districts from across the country. And, it will also help the health system to respond to COVID-19 and other future public health threats.

“ADB’s fast-track financing through the ongoing health security project will help scale up the government’s response to COVID-19 based on its health sector contingency plan, which aims to ensure that regular health services continue to be provided during the pandemic,” said ADB Senior Social Sector Specialist Rikard Elfving.

“The investment will focus on hospitals serving vulnerable groups, including minority populations challenged by poverty and inadequate access to essential services such as health care,” he added.

It will also contain the programme that will help to improve their ability of the public health care in township hospitals in districts of the Ministry of Health and Sports.

This year, ADB is committed to providing $6.6 million in loans from the GMS Health Security Project to help strengthen Myanmar’s early response to the pandemic, such as the purchase of medical supplies and equipment.

To reduce the impact of public health, livelihood and economy caused by the pandemic and to help the poor and vulnerable group, ADB has approved to provide $ 250 million loans on 21 August. —Zin Yaw Aye

(Translated by Hay Mar)