The World Bank Group approved today US$60 million in additional funding for the COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project in Burundi to help the Government prevent, detect, and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and to strengthen the national public health system in Burundi.
“This new funding will help the Government strengthen the pillars of the response to the pandemic, as well as the procurement and deployment ofCOVID-19 vaccines,” said Jean Christophe Carret, World Bank Director of Operations for Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola.
This additional funding, which will cover the entire country, will also facilitate the purchase of COVID-19 screening tests, the management and referral of patients- including medicines, oxygen, ambulances, and other critical health supplies- and the purchase of laboratory equipment and personal protective equipment. The project will also strengthen cold chain storage, including refrigerators and cold rooms, and cover awareness campaigns for mass vaccination.
Funding for the COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project is provided by IDA* and shall be implemented over three years.
* The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 74 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.3 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has provided $458 billion to 114 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about $29 billion over the last three years (FY19-FY21), with about 70% going to Africa. Learn more online: IDA.worldbank.org. #IDAworks