June 1 : The Government of Nepal and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have today signed on a loan agreement worth Rs 30 billion (250 million US dollars) for the COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support (CARES) Program to respond to the impacts caused by the coronavirus pandemic. This is a concessional loan to be provided as a budgetary support.
The program will support the Government to strengthen its public health system by scaling up its testing laboratories, establishing quarantine facilities in all provinces, enabling of quality health service for prevention, control and cure of communicable disease, developing of health infrastructures with well-equipped hospitals, supplying of medicine and equipment; and providing service of qualified doctors and health workers, says a statement issued by the ADB.
The program will also support the Government to mitigate the adverse economic and social impacts of the pandemic, particularly on the poor and vulnerable.
The ADB has also expressed its full commitment to supporting Nepal in this challenging time and work closely with the government in implementing this program to support Nepal in fighting the pandemic and reduce impacts on people.
The agreement was signed by Finance Secretary Sishir Kumar Dhungana and ADB Country Director for Nepal Mukhtor Khamudkhanov in the presence of finance minister Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada.
