Govt finalising $600 million emergency package to fight coronavirus: minister
- By Web Desk -
- Mar 19, 2020
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar on Thursday said the government is finalising approximately $600 million worth of an emergency package with help from multilateral partners to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
Taking to Twitter, he said: “Economic Affairs Division is finalising an approx $600 million emergency package with Multilaterals for dealing with Covid-19 outbreak across the country.”
“It includes reallocations and fresh financing. This will be in addition to local funding that is being made available,” the minister added.
Economic Affairs Division is finalising an approx $600 million emergency package with Multilaterals for dealing with Covid-19 outbreak across the country. It includes reallocations and fresh financing.
This will be in addition to local funding that is being made available.— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) March 19, 2020
He thanked the People’s Republic of China for providing a grant of US$ 4 million along with 300,000 medical face masks, 10 ventilators and other equipment. He said the neighbouring country also committed to arrange for “a much greater number of ventilators.”
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I would like to thank the People’s Republic of China for providing grant assistance of USD 4 million along with 300,000 medical face masks, 10 ventilators and other equipment. They have also undertaken to arrange for much greater number of ventilators.
— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) March 19, 2020
“Emergency funds from ADB supported NDRMF (approx Rs 7.5 bn) are also being made available for NDMA [Natural Disaster Management Authority].
This is in addition to funds already made availaible by finance division for immediate use by authority. Reallocations from foreign funded projects also being diverted towards it.”