The cost of the Corona Tackle Project in the country is increasing by 5688 crore

News Desk: The Covid-19 Emergency Response and Pendamic Preparedness project was approved on an emergency basis to deal with the onset of corona infection in the country.

The project is being revised for the first time this winter as corona infections are on the rise again. The project cost is increasing by 5 thousand 6 crore. In other words, the cost is increasing by 504.46 percent.

The main cost of the project was estimated at Tk 1,126.51 crore. Of this, the Bangladesh government was providing Tk 26.51 crore and the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank were providing Tk 750 crore as assistance.

Now, in the first amendment, the cost of the project has been proposed to be Tk 6,615.63 crore. Of this, the government will provide 212 crore 43 lakh 59 thousand and the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank are giving 8 thousand 703 crore 19 lakh 69 thousand as assistance.

It is also proposed to keep the project from April this year to June 2023. The project is being implemented by the Department of Health at the initiative of the Department of Health Services.

The Planning Commission has recently held a meeting of the Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) on the project. This information has been known from the PEC meeting sources.

The sectors in which the cost is money
The main activities of the project include setting up PCR labs in 26 medical college hospitals. Establishment of BSL-3 Labs at IEDCR and BITID. It has been proposed to set up a mobile microbiology lab and an allocation of Tk 4.25 crore has been made for this purpose.

Establishment of 10 bed ICU unit in each District Sadar Hospital. Establishment of 10 bed ICU units in 10 medical college hospitals. Establishment of 5 bed ICU center in Dhaka and Chittagong Infectious Diseases Hospital.

A total of seven medical screening centers will be set up at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, one at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong, one at Osmani International Airport in Sylhet, one at Chittagong Land Port and one at Mongla Land Port.

The total cost from the purchase of the corona vaccine to the human body will be 4,314 crore 49 lakh 96 thousand rupees.

Of this, Tk 3,253.56 crore will be spent on vaccines. Covex (20 per cent) will cost Rs 1,291.24 crore and direct purchase (11 per cent) will cost Rs 1,962.34 crore. After the purchase of the vaccine, Tk 263.34 crore will be spent on storage and cold chain and Tk 64.55 crore will be spent on transport and operation.

That's why the correction is coming
The first amendment of the project is being brought for four reasons, the health ministry said. These are that the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will co-lend মিল 100 million with the World Bank to combat the outbreak of the corona virus in Bangladesh. This money will be spent through this project.

Identify new activities for implementation of funds provided by AIIB and include them in the DPP of the project; Include কার্যক্রম 500 million pledged by the World Bank to purchase the coronavirus vaccine; Inclusion of new activities in line with changes in the ‘preventive and control mechanism’ due to repeated mutations in the corona virus; At the outset of the Corona situation, it was not possible to formulate the DPP after adequate review and adequate review to address the emergency situation. As a result, DPP has to be amended to address the existing inconsistencies in the DPP and to meet the emerging new demand.

Sources in the Department of Health say that the increase in corona virus infection in Bangladesh as well as in the rest of the world has created a crisis in the national life. The present government is still in control of the disaster as it has followed the right strategy at the earliest. However, there is a shortage of medical and medical equipment in various fields to get rid of this unforeseen disaster.

In this situation, at the request of the Ministry of Finance, an agreement was executed to receive a loan of মিল 100 million (approximately Tk. 650 crore) from the Emergency Relief Fund of the World Bank. In this situation, the Prime Minister approved the project on April 17 this year on an emergency basis and later on June 2, it was approved at the ECNEC meeting.

The progress of the project has been 10.21 percent till June this year. 115 crore 15 lakh 21 thousand rupees has been spent.