The CEO National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF), Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed (retd), called on Prime Minister Imran Khan here, said a press release issued on Friday.
The CEO NDRMF apprised the prime minister about financing aimed to enhance Pakistan's capacity for preparedness and response for the COVID-19, wherein Rs7,899.999 million ($50.0 million) will be provided to the NDMA for procuring testing kits, viral RNA extraction kits, mobile X-ray machines, clinical ICU ventilators, syringe pumps, N-95 masks, tyvek suit (protection suits for healthcare workers), thermal guns and scanners with the assistance of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination.
The CEO, NDRMF informed that it had so far approved funding for 24 projects worth $71.17 million in a short span of just one year, in interventions such as flood protection infrastructure, water conservation structures to mitigate against droughts, early warning systems for tsunamis, retrofitting of public infrastructure in high seismic zones, multi-hazard vulnerability risk assessments, community-based disaster risk management, and strengthening Rescue 1122.
The prime minister appreciated the role of the NDRMF for providing urgent financing to the NDMA to cope with emergent situation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.-PR