Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved additional loan financing of $110 million for a project on urban healthcare services in Bangladesh.

“ADB’s support to the government-led Urban Primary Health Care Services Delivery Project approved in 2012 has been filling a vacuum created by the lack of urban public primary healthcare by increasing access to quality services, especially for poor households,” said ADB Social Sector Specialist Brian Chin.

“The new financing will focus on strengthening the service delivery system, building on the results of the 2012 project and two previous projects, to meet unmet demands and develop self-reliance in the running of the system,” he said, says a press release issued today.

Previously, ADB provided a $40 million loan and $4.5 million co-financing for a first project to support health services in four cities during 1998–2005. A second project followed in 2005–2012 backed by a $30 million loan, $10 million grant, and $30 million co-financing widening the support to six cities and five municipalities.