US to provide Tk 11.94b over five years for health projects

---

The United States will provide a total of Tk 13.73 billion for funding health and environment related projects to ensure economic growth in Bangladesh, reports UNB.
To this effect, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and government signed formal agreements to continue joint development activities in those sectors, said an announcement Thursday.
The US development agency will provide around Tk 11.94 billion ($173 million) over five years to fund programmes supporting maternal and child health, family planning, tuberculosis eradication and HIV/AIDS mitigation under the health and population agreement.
"This cements a long and productive relation between USAID and the Ministries of Finance and Health and Family Welfare," the donor side said.
It will also give around Tk 1.31 billion ($19 million) over nine years to support programmes that strengthen private-sector productivity and overall business-enabling environment. Several ministries will be involved, with the Ministry of Commerce taking the lead.
Also, an additional funding of around Tk 480 million ($7.0 million) over five years in the environment sector will support natural resource conservation and bio-diversity preservation programmes in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and will be expanded to include wetlands and other vital habitats around the country.
From 1971 to 2006, USAID has provided over $5.0 billion to Bangladesh in development assistance, with over half of that amount in food aid. In 2007, USAID provided $78 million in development assistance to Bangladesh.