The objective of the Project is to support the GoB to prevent, detect, and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and to strengthen its national systems for public health preparedness in Bangladesh.

This project is supported under the COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility (the Facility) of the Bank and co-financed with the World Bank (WB) as an investment project. The project will help the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) respond to immediate health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen health systems for pandemic preparedness. The project is consistent with the country priorities as laid out in the National Action Plan for Health Security and Bangladesh Preparedness and Response Plan for COVID-19, developed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). In addition to scaling up interventions to limit human-to-human transmission, health systems strengthening interventions will be rolled out to improve the country’s capacity to respond to the COVID-19 epidemic and to be better prepared to respond to any future disease outbreaks. The Project includes the following components: Component 1: Emergency COVID-19 Response. This will provide immediate support to Bangladesh to prevent COVID-19 from arriving or limiting local transmission through containment strategies. Component 2: Supporting National and Sub-national Prevention and Preparedness. This will include activities which aim to improve prevention and response planning for infectious disease. Component 3: Implementation Management and Monitoring and Evaluation. This will include the areas of project management, monitoring and evaluation, procurement, financial management, and environmental and social safeguards. Component 4: Contingent Emergency Response Component. This will ensure provision of immediate response to an Eligible Crisis or Health Emergency.