Covid-19: Ghana to receive $60m funds from World Bank by early March
Ghana is expected to receive some $60 million from the World Bank in support of its fight against the global Covid-19 pandemic.
The $60 million funds to be received, is in addition to the over $436 million already committed by the World Bank to government’s Covid-19 fight.
According to the World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Pierre Frank Laporte, the $60 million funds will be ready by early March this year.
Of the amount, $20 million will be used for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines with the remaining $40 million used for the erection of additional treatment centres.
“You see the Omicron variant has reminded us of something that we should never think the Covid will just go away like that. It may go away, it may not. At this point in time, we’re discussing a further tranche of support for Covid.
“If all goes well it should be available early March. We’re looking at $60 million dollars, which $20 million will go directly for more vaccines and the $40 million for additional treatment centres,” he said.
Touching on the already disbursed $436 million funds for the government, Mr Laporte averred the money was initially directed at the various campaigns that sought to inform and educate Ghanaians on the Covid-19 and its safety protocols.
“We’ve provided $430 million to Ghana to fight Covid. And this includes different activities including initially the communication campaign, the sensitization campaign, equipping labs, equipping new facilities to receive patients and treat patients,” he said.
Adding that, the World Bank further provided an additional $130 million purposely for the purchase of vaccines.
But while the World Bank was actively supporting Ghana’s Covid-19 fight, it also set into motion several projects to enable the country’s economy stay afloat.
Pierre Frank Laporte noted that these projects were targeted at Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) which are the backbone of Ghana’s economy.
He stated that the Bank accelerated the disbursement of projects like the Ghana Economic Transformation projects which targeted SMEs in particular.
Adding that the World Bank was further accelerating its social protection project while approving $100 million more to support the project.
“So a lot of things are happening, we’re hoping that the Development Bank will also get resources for small businesses, so there are a lot of things that we’ve done,” he remarked.
