WASHINGTON, April 2, 2020¡ª ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº¡¯s Board of Executive Directors today approved a $100.4 million grant for the Afghanistan COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project to help Afghanistan take effective action to respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthen its public health preparedness.
This new fast track package will cover all 34 Afghan provinces and reinforce essential health care services to slow down the spread of COVID-19 across Afghanistan and deliver optimum care in the case of a surge in demand for treatment. The financing will support infected people, at-risk populations, medical and emergency personnel as well as service providers, medical and testing facilities, and national health agencies.
The project is financed by a grant from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank Group¡¯s fund for the poorest countries, in the amount of $100.4 million, of which $19.4 million is provided from the World Bank¡¯s COVID-19 Fast-Track Facility. It will be implemented by the Ministry of Public Health supported by UN agencies and service providers already working under the Sehatmandi project.
¡°Ä¾¹ÏÓ°Ôº stands firm with the Afghan government and people to fight the spread of COVID-19 in the country,¡± said Henry Kerali, World Bank Country Director for Afghanistan. ¡°This emergency support package will help Afghanistan¡¯s health system mitigate the impact of an outbreak and strengthen health services. ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº, together with the Government of Afghanistan and other partners, will work tirelessly to implement this project and is committed to helping Afghanistan lessen the impact posed by COVID-19 in the most effective way.¡±
The project will also help address significant negative externalities expected in the event of a widespread COVID-19 outbreak, including comprehensive health awareness and behavior change campaigns.
World Bank Group COVID-19 Response
ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº Group is rolling out a $14 billion fast-track package to strengthen the COVID-19 response in developing countries and shorten the time to recovery. The immediate response includes financing, policy advice and technical assistance to help countries cope with the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. The is providing $8 billion in financing to help private companies affected by the pandemic and preserve jobs. IBRD and IDA are making an initial US$6 billion available for the health-response. As countries need broader support, the World Bank Group will deploy up to $160 billion over 15 months to protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery.
