Pakistan receives first consignment of ADB's medical supplies

• The consignment containing medical equipment and supplies will be used to strengthen hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, isolation units, and other medical facilities.

Pakistan received the first consignment of emergency medical supplies funded by the Asian Development Bank to combat coronavirus on Saturday.

As per details, the consignment containing medical equipment and supplies will be used to strengthen hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, isolation units, and other medical facilities has started arriving here, the ADB said in a message through its official Twitter account.

The consignment was procured by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the equipment would be distributed to medical centers nationwide.

The ADB on Thursday announced to repurpose $50 million from Pakistan's National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) to support Pakistan's preventive and response efforts to fight the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease in the country.

The Bank further said that the funds include the reallocation of $30 million of previously approved but unutilized resources from ADB to NDRMF. Following a request for emergency support from the Government of Pakistan, ADB swiftly processed a change in scope in its NDRMF project, enabling the repurposing and immediate use of these resources in the fight against COVID-19.