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World Bank to extend $50m to Egypt over COVID-19 crisis
The World Bank (WB) decided to provide $50 million to Egypt to help it fight the coronavirus within the framework of an emergency response under the World Bank Group’s new Fast Track COVID-19 Facility — a global effort to help strengthen the COVID-19 response and shorten the time to recovery.
The project aims to strengthen the prevention, detection and response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt.
The project will focus on the immediate and critical areas of support identified by the Government of Egypt’s National COVID-19 response plan.
The project funds will support procuring and distributing medical equipment and supplies necessary for the COVID-19 response; health worker training; and operations of specifically designated quarantine, isolation and treatment centers.
It will also support mobilization of rapid response teams in contact tracing of COVID-19 cases; development of contextualized messaging platforms and tools to improve public awareness of COVID prevention; and innovative Monitoring and Evaluation of social distancing strategies including community mobilization.
“We acknowledge the efforts undertaken by the World Bank Group at these unprecedented times. This project supports the preparedness efforts and governance of Egypt’s healthcare system. Increased coordinated action to expedite healthcare spending and pave the way for an inclusive post-COVID economic recovery is a national priority,” said Minister of International Cooperation Dr. Rania Al-Mashat.
“The World Bank is quickly mobilizing to help Egypt strengthen its pandemic response and health care systems. This phase of our support aims to protect the poorest and most vulnerable households and help the country implement emergency health operations and strengthen economic resilience,” said Marina Wes, World Bank Country Director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti.
The Global Fast Track Facility includes $6 billion financing from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) in immediate support to assist countries coping with the health and economic impacts of the global outbreak.
Egypt has qualified for $50 million funding, the maximum available for Egypt under the Facility based on the criteria of population size.
The World Bank and Egypt are continuing discussions on future cooperation and support to lessen the short-term impact of the crisis, including on the poor and most vulnerable, and to accelerate the recovery.
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