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Rs. 25 billion from World Bank to fight COVID-19, but projects on slow track
View(s):A Rs 25 billion (USD 128 million) loan was made available to the government by the World Bank under its COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Project last year, according to a World Bank report.
But many COVID-19-related initiatives that were scheduled to be implemented before the end of last year were still in the implementation phase, according to the report submitted by the local implementing partner, the General Treasury. Upgrading of ICU hospitals, setting up laboratories with COVID-19 diagnostic equipment, constructing isolation rooms at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases Hospital were still in the implementation process despite the deadlines that lapsed in December last year.
Details of the current progress of the projects were not available immediately.
Meanwhile, the World Bank signed a fresh agreement with the Government this week for a USD 80.5 million additional financing facility to purchase COVID-19 vaccines and to strengthen the country’s vaccination programme.