The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Bangladesh on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly promote public-private partnership (PPP) projects in the country’s health care sector.
The tripartite MOU was signed at a ceremony in the city by the Director General of Health Services Dr Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad; Director General of Bangladesh PPP Authority (PPPA) Md Abul Bashar; and ADB Country Director for Bangladesh Manmohan Parkash.
Secretary of the Health Services Division of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Md Ashadul Islam and Chief Executive Officer of PPPA Md Alkama Siddiqui witnessed the signing ceremony.
“PPPs have the potential to unlock greater private sector investments and efficiencies to complement ongoing government initiatives to improve the quality and affordability of health care in Bangladesh,” said Parkash.
“PPPs can bring genuine improvements to health systems and we’re very pleased to expand our collaboration with Bangladesh into this crucial sector.”
Public health in Bangladesh has improved significantly in recent decades due to high immunisation, reduced infant and maternal mortality, and lower fertility rates, UNB reports.
The World Health Organization says the country’s remaining health challenges include high incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart attacks, chronic respiratory diseases, kidney diseases, and diabetes.
PPPs can provide affordable and quality services to prevent and manage NCDs, and be an alternative to public sector spending to build and operate hospitals and health education facilities.
Under the MOU, ADB’s Office of Public–Private Partnership will identify, prepare, and implement projects under PPP arrangements including in priority areas such as diagnostics and dialysis services.
ADB will provide holistic support through the Asia Pacific Project Preparation Facility (AP3F), which can provide integrated support for capacity building, development of standardized templates for procurement and contracting, creation of a potential health care project pipeline, and transaction advisory services.
ADB has been a development partner of Bangladesh since 1973 and has approved around $25 billion for loans, grants, and technical assistance.