DHAKA, Feb 11, 2025 (BSS) – Visiting UN Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Kirstine Damkjær today reaffirmed UN support for strengthening Bangladesh’s health infrastructure.   

"UNOPS remains committed to strengthening Bangladesh's healthcare infrastructure by ensuring accessible and sustainable solutions,” she said while visiting the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital (NIDCH) here, said a UN press release.  

The Assistant Secretary-General said as a partner the UN has been working to help Bangladesh in achieving its healthcare goals. 

NIDCH is one of 29 hospitals across Bangladesh where UNOPS, in collaboration with partners such as National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and with funding from the Global Fund, has constructed PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) plants to strengthen the national healthcare system. 

The initiative is part of the Bangladesh government’s Covid-19 emergency response plan. 

Partner hospitals were strategically selected across Bangladesh as part of this initiative, including NIDCH, to ensure that underserved communities have access to essential medical services. 

Working closely with partners, UNOPS supported the procurement of essential medical equipment and supplies while enhancing healthcare infrastructure through the installation of oxygen therapy units. 
As a result, Bangladesh’s most underserved communities now have strengthened healthcare systems capable of delivering critical medical services during health emergencies such as the Covid-19 pandemic.