UN Family ‘stepping up’ for COVID in Bhutan

On behalf of the 26 resident and non-resident United Nations agencies, funds and programmes working in Bhutan, the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Gerald Daly, extended its support to the national COVID-19 preparedness and response and other immediate assistance.

The UN, this morning, extended its support of USD 1.14 million (approximately Nu 80.5 million) to the Honorable Prime Minister, Lyonchen Dr. Lotay Tshering.

To meet the immediate needs of the quarantine facilities across the country, the UN made a modest contribution of USD 50,000 (approximately Nu 3.5 million).

Three UN agencies have also managed to access their agency emergency funds, through which USD 1.09 million (approximately Nu 77 million) has been mobilized, some of which have already been transferred to the RGoB while some are underway. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has received USD 450,000 from the Government of Japan and USD 100,000 from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support the Government’s COVID-19 response with a focus on children and adolescents as well as to procure, deliver and distribute medical equipment for the Ministry of Health;; World Health Organization (WHO) mobilized USD 244,500; and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) mobilized USD 300,000.

The UN Resident Coordinator said : “We need to cut through the red tape as much as possible while remaining effective and accountable. We are in an unprecedented situation and it can no longer be business as usual. Like the rest of the world, we in Bhutan are facing the potential for devastating impacts from the virus. But, through decisive action, and through working together, we do have a small window to get ahead of it. These are challenging times, on behalf of the UN, I would like to commend the Royal Government for the hard work and results being achieved towards the COVID-19 preparedness and response plans and action.”