Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The World Bank Board of Directors on Friday, August 7 approved a $114.28 million financing to help Nigeria prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic with a specific focus on state level responses.
This was made known by the Bretton Wood institution Country Director for Nigeria, Mr Shubham Chaudhuri, who explained that the intervention includes $100 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA) and $14.28 million grant from the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility.
Mr Chaudhuri said: “Nigeria has ramped up its efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, but more needs to done at the state level, which are at the frontline of the response.
“The project will provide the states with much needed direct technical and fiscal support to strengthen their position in combating the pandemic.”
The World Bank explained that through the COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project (CoPREP), the federal government will provide grants to 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as immediate support to break the chain of COVID-19 local transmission and limit the spread of coronavirus through containment and mitigation strategies.
However, grants to states will be conditional on states adopting COVID-19 response strategies which are in line with the Federal Government guidelines and strategies.
CoPREP will enhance the institutional and operational capacity for disease detection through provision of technical expertise, coordination support, detection, diagnosis and case management efforts in all states and the FCT as per the WHO guidelines in the Strategic Response Plan.
The support will also help the government mobilise surge response capacity through trained and well-equipped frontline healthcare workers and strengthen the public health care network for future health emergencies.
According to latest data in Nigeria: 44,890 cases had been confirmed, 32,165 cases discharged and 927 deaths recorded in 36 states and the FCT.
