NEW DELHI: Asian Development Bank (ADB) president Masatsugu Asakawa on Friday assured finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman of the multilateral agency’s support to New Delhi in its fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic and said it was planning a $2.2 billion immediate assistance for the country ’s health sector.This is one of the largest ever assistance from a multilateral agency for the country’s health sector and is expected to significantly bolster the government’s efforts to ramp up its fight against the ravaging virus outbreak. The government has already taken several steps to accelerate testing, ready quarantine zones and help for the frontline healthcare workers and the availability of funds will further strengthen the efforts and help revamp the country’s health care sector.In a call, Asakawa commended the Indian government’s decisive response to the pandemic, including a national health emergency programme, tax and other relief measures provided to businesses, and a $23 billion economic relief package announced on March 26 to provide immediate income and consumption support to the poor, women, and workers affected by the three-week nationwide lockdown.“ADB is committed to supporting India’s emergency needs. We are now preparing $2.2 billion in immediate assistance to the health sector and to help alleviate the economic impact of the pandemic on the poor. ADB assistance for India will be further increased if needed,” Asakawa said.