Zambia Gets $25 Million Covid-19 World Bank Support
The World Bank has approved $25 million to support towards Zambia’s coronavirus pandemic response.
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 channelled through the Zambia coronavirus Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project.
The Zambia coronavirus 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 coronavirus 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 coronavirus response plan.
It will also support coronavirus case management, infection prevention and control, and interventions to maintain essential health services.
“While Zambia has seen a reduction in new cases of coronavirus 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 coronavirus 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 coronavirus poses a risk to everyone.
The primary beneficiaries will be suspected and confirmed coronavirus 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 coronvirus 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 coronavirus crisis.
The World Bank mobilized $2.72 million from existing health operations and financing mechanisms to support the government’s coronavirus response.