BANGLADESH COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMME

The project seeks to support the Government in Bangladesh to finance interventions for the emergency response against the COVID-19 crisis (with a gradual shift of focus from acute diagnosis and treatment to a prevention-oriented vaccine-based approach) and possibly midterm pandemic preparedness and health system resilience interventions.

The project aims to support the government of Bangladesh to contain the COVID-19 pandemic through the deployment of emergency response and pandemic preparedness interventions (including vaccines purchasing and vaccination campaigns) and implementing health sector resilience measures.

The project will provide the Government of Bangladesh with timely financing for procuring safe and effective vaccines against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) based on an agreed list of eligible expenditures. This project supports the Bank's objectives of enhancement of sustainable social and human development through improved health, education and nutrition services. The operation addresses the provision of health services for COVID-19 that is considered as a Global Public Good. In particular, immunisation is one of the most effective investments in global health and has a crucial role in achieving 14 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As one of the most far-reaching health interventions, it closely reflects the ethos of the SDGs: "leaving no one behind". The project targets priority areas for strategic development cooperation in Bangladesh by improving human capital and health care, and promoting gender equality. The partnership between the Bank, the EU Commission and Member States and other public and private donors in the fight of COVID-19 in LMICs pursues the SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development and is at hearth of the efforts by the Team Europe. As such, the operation is fully aligned with the objectives of the Team Europe package, which aims to support partner countries in the fight against the pandemic and its consequences. The project addresses a substantial market gap in the availability of needed financial resources to tackle the pandemic, including the open and fair access to COVID-19 vaccines. EIB financing with its favourable terms will allow for fiscal stability and support an accelerated economic recovery from the COVID-19 shock, which had a negative impact on Bangladesh to date.

The Bank will require the promoter to ensure that the implementation of the project will be done in accordance with the Bank's Environmental and Social principles and standards.

The Bank will require the promoter to ensure that implementation of the project will be done in accordance with the Bank's Guide to Procurement.

This operation is covered by the ELM Guarantee.

Under EFSD+ Guarantee