Sweden provides additional grant for COVID-19 response in Bangladesh

The Government of Sweden has committed an additional grant of 6 million Swedish Krona (SEK) to support United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)’s COVID-19 response in Bangladesh. This new contribution takes the total Swedish contribution to UNFPA to 127 million SEK during 2017-2022. The new grant will support UNFPA’s efforts to strengthen the quality and availability of sexual and reproductive health services in Bangladesh during COVID-19. UNFPA is the world’s largest multilateral source of funding for population and reproductive health programs. The new grant will be used to continue and expand the COVID-19 response efforts UNFPA has carried out earlier during the pandemic with Sweden’s support. For example, a hundred additional roving midwives will be deployed to health facilities around the country to ensure the availability of maternal and newborn health services in vulnerable communities. The availability of remote reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services will also be improved through the establishment of new telemedicine and emergency hotline services. Furthermore, the grant will be used to strengthen existing referral systems for pregnant mothers and to establish infection prevention and control, as well as triaging systems in separate maternity areas of health facilities.