The Beximco Group decided to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), medicines, test kits worth Tk 15 crore for diagnosis and protecting the frontline healthcare workers during the coronavirus pandemic.   Beximco Group’s pharmaceutical division, Beximco Pharma, has started distributing the equipment.   Nazmul Hassan MP, managing director of Beximco Pharma, handed over the first consignment of the equipment to representatives from different testing centres and government designated hospitals for treating COVID-19 patients at a city hotel on Saturday.   Mia Seppo, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Prof Allen Ross, senior director, Infectious Diseases Division of icddr,b, Dr Bardan Jung Rana, WHO representative in Bangladesh, Dr Michael Friedman, country director, CDC, Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora, director, IEDCR, and Prof Dr Ahmedul Kabir, general secretary, Bangladesh Society of Medicine were also present on the occasion.   Beximco Group Chairman ASF Rahman said the group is always committed to extending support to any national emergency.   “Ensuring access to personal protective equipment is a top priority right now, and we’re proud to be responding to this need to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals in Bangladesh,” he added.   Rahman said they will continue to provide wholehearted support to the government in tackling coronavirus crisis.   Beximco Group Vice-Chairman Salman F Rahman, who is also Private Industry and Investment Adviser to the Prime Minister, said the corporates of Bangladesh are acutely aware of their social responsibilities and have always joined the national efforts to tackle any crisis.   Referring to the Prime Minister’s speech stating this fight against coronavirus as a war and testing time for humanity, Salman said: “It has to be fought on all fronts involving both private and public sectors.”     “I believe this initiative will inspire other entities to come forward in helping the government,” he said.   Beximco Pharma Managing Director Nazmul Hassan said during this time of global crisis, Bangladesh urgently needs a supply of medicines for treatment, test kits for diagnosis and PPE.   In the first phase, Beximco will distribute sufficient numbers of PPE to two testing centres- IEDCR and icddr,b, and other government designated hospitals for COVID-19 treatment namely Kuwait Maitri Hospital,  Kurmitola General Hospital, Bangladesh Railway Hospital in Kamlapur, Mahanagar General Hospital in Nayabazar, BAVS Maternity Hospital in Mirpur, Kamrangirchar 31-bed Hospital, Aminbazar 20-bed Hospital, Jinjira 20-bed Hospital and CMH Dhaka.   In the second phase, Beximco Pharma will expand distribution of these PPE nationwide to more than 150 leading hospitals.