UNICEF thanks the Asian Development Bank for its support to the COVID-19 response

BANGKOK, 15 April 2020: UNICEF welcomes a US$3.5 million grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to provide urgent medical supplies in 16 countries across West and Central Asia; South Asia; and East Asia and Pacific to support governments in the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This grant is being used to buy medical supplies and personal protective equipment for health care staff and others on the frontline of response efforts in Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cook Islands, India, Kiribati, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri-Lanka, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan and Vanuatu.

“UNICEF thanks the ADB for its partnership and timely response to the COVID-19 crisis. We applaud the actions already taken by governments and this support will further strengthen a country’s capacity to save the lives of its people,” said Karin Hulshof, UNICEF Regional Director, East Asia and Pacific. “This crisis has affected the most vulnerable disproportionately. Countries and communities must continue to work together, so that we can protect children and their families.”

While UNICEF and its partners support the immediate response, it is worth remembering that the impact of COVID-19 on children will last well after the last case of transmission, and risks of exploitation and abuse, economic hardships as well as family separation, are likely to increase. 

UNICEF is working with governments across the three regions to help prevent the spread of the virus among communities by providing technical expertise, procuring vital medical supplies, and developing effective public health messaging to reach people with life-saving information.