Medical staff check a room prepared for COVID-19 patients at Pertamina Jaya Hospital in Cempaka Putih, Jakarta (Photo: thejakartapost.com)Jakarta (VNA) - The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) announcedon June 23 that it and other banks had approved loans totalling 1 billionUSD loan to help strengthen Indonesia’s health and economic responses to theCOVID-19 crisis.
AIIB’s first loan for Indonesia, totaling 750million USD and co-financed with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), will be usedfor a project to support Indonesia’s economic recovery programme,including aid for small and medium businesses and vulnerable households.
Another loan worth 250 million USD inpartnership with the World Bank is intended for a separate programme tostrengthen the public healthcare response to the crisis, including testing,prevention and treatment of the virus, and to boost hospital readiness.
Speaking at a meeting on June 23, Indonesian DeputyFinance Minister Suahasil Nazara appreciated AIIB for the quick response andflexibility when it comes to the urgent needs of member countries during thehealth and economic crises.
These loans are important for Indonesia tosupport health care and expand social assistance programmes for the poor andvulnerable people to reduce the adverse social and economic impacts of COVID-19,he said. /.
VNA
