WORLD BANK SUPPORTS ZAMBIA WITH $25 MILLION TO ADDRESS COVID-19
WASHINGTON, - World Bank has approved $25 million to support Zambia’s response to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
Of this amount, $20 million will come from the International Development Association’s Crisis Response Window, while $5 million is grant funding from the Global Financing Facility.
The funds will be channeled through the Zambia Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project.
The Zambia Covid-19 Emergency
Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project will provide support to the Zambian government to prevent, control, detect and respond to the threat posed by Covid-19 and strengthen national systems for public health preparedness.
The emergency funding will support disease surveillance and strengthen screening at points of entry, risk communication and community engagement, as well as strengthen governance and accountability in implementation of the national Covid-19 response plan.
It will also support Covid-19 case management, infection prevention and control, and interventions to maintain essential health services.
“While Zambia has seen a reduction in new cases of Covid-19 in the last two months, it is important that prevention, detection and response measures are scaled up to prevent further spread of the disease,” said Sahr Kpundeh, World Bank Country Manager for Zambia. “Rapid response is crucial in addressing Covid-19 and to reduce its negative impact on health systems, social services and economic activities.”
The project will be implemented nationwide and is expected to benefit the entire population of Zambia, as Covid-19 poses a risk to everyone.
The primary beneficiaries will be suspected and confirmed Covid-19 cases, and populations at risk such as the elderly, people with co- morbidities, medical and emergency personnel, port of entry officials and truck drivers. “Considering that many of the Covid-19 cases in Zambia have come from outside the country, the project will help strengthen screening at Zambia’s entry points”, said Rosemary Sunkutu, Senior Health Nutrition and Population Specialist and Task Team Leader of the project.
“This component of the project is especially important given that Zambia is a landlocked country surrounded by eight countries, which predisposes the country to risks of importation of diseases from neighboring countries and beyond.”
This funding is part of a broader package of support by the World Bank Group to help Zambia manage and responds to the Covid-19 crisis.
The World Bank mobilized $2.72 million from existing health operations and financing mechanisms to support the Government’s Covid-19 response.
World Bank Group Covid-19 Response.
The World Bank Group, one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, is taking broad, fast action to help developing countries strengthen their pandemic response.
It is supporting public health interventions, working to ensure the flow of critical supplies and equipment, and helping the private sector continue to operate and sustain jobs.
The World Bank Group is making available up to $160 billion over a 15-month period ending June 2021 to help more than 100 countries protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery.
This includes $50 billion of new IDA resources through grants and highly concessional loans and $12 billion for developing countries to finance the purchase and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines. -