ADB's $2.5 million grant will support Georgia's fight against Covid-19
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Monday, December 7
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a grant of $2.5 million. The grant aims to help the country in its ongoing fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
The grant, called the Covid-19 Emergency Response Project, was financed by ADB's Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund, APDRF, which is contributed by the Government of Japan. It will be used to provide needed services for communities most affected by the pandemic.
This will include increased laboratory and diagnostic testing capacity and providing personal protective equipment and other types of general medical equipment required for the country to continue its fight against the virus.
The country director for Georgia of ADB, Shane Rosenthal said that the Georgian health system has been under great pressure because of the increased pace of the spread of the coronavirus in the country over the past few months.
“This grant will help to strengthen Georgia's immediate response and is part of ADB's ongoing assistance to support Georgia's health system, social protection, and the livelihood of its communities,” noted Shane Rosenthal.
ADB has been helping the country fighting against Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. In May, Asian Development Bank has approved a $100 million loan to help the country contain the spread the Covid-19.
Also, it helped the country to support the local economy and businesses most affected by the virus and safeguard the livelihood of the most vulnerable people in the country, including children.
Then, in October, ADB approved a $200 million loan to address key challenges that the country's public financial management and social protection systems faced. To support Georgia adopt PCR equipment, the bank also provided a grant to Georgia in August.
The grant was funded by the regional technical assistance project. The equipment helped the country to increase PCR testing capacity and it also gave the authorities the chance to have a better trace of the virus to better contain it.
The Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966, which is headquartered in the Ortigas Center located in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. The company also maintains 31 field offices around the world to promote social and economic development in Asia.
As the official website of ADB reads, ADB's key development priorities in Georgia include fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth, accelerating poverty reduction, and enhancing regional connectivity.
