US-Bangladesh Business Council provides Covid-19 supplies to Dhaka
In the coming weeks, the Council will mobilise additional medical supplies, including a shipment of 100 emergency relief beds
US-Bangladesh Business Council, an exclusive platform of the US Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Project CURE, an American NGO has donated essential medical supplies to Bangladesh to tackle Covid-19.
US Embassy in Bangladesh Chargé d'Affaires JoAnne Wagner and US-Bangladesh Business Council representatives joined officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Directorate General of Health Services in welcoming the special delivery today.
The donation includes 60 oxygen concentrators, variable positive air pressure (VPAP) units, and other oxygen supplies and device accessories.
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Along with that, 45,000 pieces of personal protective equipment, including KN95 and N95 masks – to help Covid-19 patients at medical colleges across the country were also donated.
In the coming weeks, the Council will mobilise additional medical supplies, including a shipment of 100 emergency relief beds, reads a press release.
The initiative was developed by US-Bangladesh Business Council Members Chevron, Excelerate Energy, Metlife, and HSBC Bangladesh with support and coordination from the US Embassy in Dhaka, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, DC, Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Bangladesh's Directorate General of Health Services.
"I am proud to see American business leaders come together as invaluable partners with this generous gift meant to help meet the critical health needs of the Bangladeshi people," said Chargé d'Affaires Wagner.
"The Council's members have come together to stand in support with our friends and partners in Bangladesh to tackle the surge in the pandemic with urgently needed supplies of medical equipment that we hope can provide life-saving care," said Nisha Biswal, president of the US-Bangladesh Business Council.
She added that the robust partnership between the Council and its members, Project CURE., the US and Bangladeshi governments, is a testament to expedient support and strong friendship between the two countries in times of need.
"Throughout the Covid pandemic, Chevron has been working hard to continue providing the energy the people of Bangladesh need to overcome the humanitarian and economic challenges of the virus," said Jay R Pryor, Chevron's Vice President of Business Development and Chair of the US-Bangladesh Business Council.
Steven Kobos, president and CEO of Excelerate Energy and Board Member of the US-Bangladesh Business Council said, "The health and safety of our employees and local communities in Bangladesh are our top priority, as Excelerate Energy continues to provide safe, secure, and reliable energy to the country."
"For more than 150 years, MetLife has been helping people protect their families and build a more confident future. This is our purpose and we are glad that our MetLife Foundation is able to provide this much needed medical equipment," said Elena Butarova, MetLife's senior vice president and US-Bangladesh Business Council Board Member.
HSBC Bangladesh CEO Md Mahbub Ur Rahman said, "We made our effort to touch more than 100,000 people with food, medical supplies and livelihood support across Bangladesh. I trust this medical relief with our partners is a much timely one amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and HSBC is happy to be a part of this humble initiative."
Dr Douglas Jackson, president and CEO of Project CURE. said, " These shipments of relief will be important tools to assist the local health care professionals as they work tirelessly to serve their communities and deliver health and hope."
