World Bank allocates $ 36.2 m for BiH over COVID-19 health, social fallout

24 / 04 / 2020

By Marwa Nassar - -

The World Bank channeled $ 36.2 million into supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to contain the health and social fallout of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The financing covers a range of interventions to strengthen public health services and to safeguard lives and livelihoods overall.

“The World Bank stands with the people of BiH during this unprecedented crisis. While the situation is still unfolding, we have managed so far to prepare this initial package to help the country prevent, detect, and respond to the pandemic and provide social assistance to most vulnerable groups”, said Emanuel Salinas, World Bank Country Manager for BiH and Montenegro.

With the BiH Emergency COVID-19 Project, the relevant authorities in the country will be able to increase isolation capacities in hospitals, obtain new intensive care beds with ventilators, establish new designated laboratories for testing and procure other medical equipment and material. Furthermore, some 48,000 people that are most affected by the pandemic crisis will receive social assistance benefits.

In parallel, the World Bank Country Office in BiH is working to adjust the existing operations and financing, especially in the health sector, in order to help the authorities to respond to the pandemic-related issues. This also includes providing advice on the likely economic impacts of the developing crisis.

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. “We are increasing disease surveillance, improving public health interventions, and helping the private sector continue to operate and sustain jobs.”

“Over the next 15 months, we will be deploying up to $160 billion in financial support to help countries protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery, including $50 billion of new IDA resources in grants or highly concessional terms.”