The government of the Republic of Korea has donated eight ambulances and 100 units of oxygen generator to the government of Bangladesh to support its efforts for overcoming the corona pandemic and enhancing the country’s capacity in the health sector.

The handover ceremony was held on Tuesday at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in presence of South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun, DGHS Director General Prof Abdul Bashar Khurshid Alam and Country Director, KOICA Bangladesh Office Doh Young-Ah and other officials from the DGHS.

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Ambassador Lee said Korea’s continuous support, including the donation of eight ambulances for combating COVID-19 in Bangladesh symbolizes the friendship between Korea and Bangladesh. “We will stand by our Bangladesh friends.”

Director General Alam, expressing sincere gratitude for Korea’s support, hoped these ambulances help save lives of Bangladesh people by providing them necessary service in time.

He said the Bangladesh government will work together with the Korean government to bring the pandemic to an end.

This donation has been done through KOICA, Korea’s development agency, under the project of ‘Strengthening Quarantine Capacity against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases’ and delivered to the DGHS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

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The highly advanced ambulances are also equipped with first aid medical boxes, medical oxygen facilities, personal protective equipment and other emergency related accessories, said the South Korean Embassy in Dhaka.

The government of the Republic of Korea has provided various assistance to the Bangladesh Government for addressing the country’s pandemic situation, which includes the 150 million dollars of EDCF loan, 50 million dollars last year and 100 million dollars this year respectively, and the provision of rapid COVID-19 test kits and other medical equipment last year since the outbreak of the pandemic.