The World Bank Group has approved $32 million International Development Association (IDA)* Additional Financing (AF) to support Rwanda’s response to the global COVID-19 pandemic under, the Rwanda COVID-19 Emergency Response project.
This is the third Additional Financing and brings to US$92 million the total support to Rwanda’s COVID19 response. The project is designed to help the government prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by the coronavirus and strengthen national systems for public health preparedness.
It will fund the scaling up of the project existing activities as well as new ones like the purchase and deployment of vaccines, including those with authorization for use among children. To strengthen the national health system, the AF will support the procurement of an international vaccination status monitoring system that is interoperable with global platforms to ensure acceptance and recognition of Rwanda’s COVID-19 digital certificates. It will also provide cold chain equipment and mechanical ventilation system for the vaccines warehouse; as well as equip the newly established mobile isolation and treatment hospital with a solar energy system.
“This Additional Financing will support the government’s decision to expand coverage to the population under 18 years of age, thus advancing from the initial target of 60 percent met in March 2022 to 86 percent of the population (from 5 years and above) by the end of 2022 ”,said Rolande Pryce, the World Bank Country Manager for Rwanda.
“So far, World Bank financing to Rwanda has contributed to fully vaccinating 14 percent of the population. The current AF will increase that amount by an additional 8.4 percent of the population, while another 1.78 million doses will be administered as a booster dose and will cover 14 percent of the population over 18 years of age”.
According to Amparo Elena Gordillo-Tobar, the World Bank Senior Health Specialist and the Project task team leader, the vision on the support to the country’s response to the pandemic is now expanding standing strong behind long-term benefits to the health system with the inclusion of the interoperability of the information systems, the efficiency in the use of energy and the protection to the environment:
“As the world is not free from events such as this pandemic, our efforts include supporting the long-term goal of strengthening the national system for public health preparedness in Rwanda” she added.
* 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 76 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.6 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about $21 billion over the last three years, with about 61 percent going to Africa. (End)