World Bank gives $1-bn emergency fund to India

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 3

The World Bank has approved a fast-track $1 billion “India Covid Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project” to help prevent, detect, and respond to the pandemic and strengthen public health preparedness. This is the largest-ever health sector support from the World Bank to India.

This support will cover all states and UTs and address the needs of infected people, at-risk populations, medical and emergency personnel and service providers, medical and testing facilities, and national and animal health agencies.

The World Bank Group is rolling out a $14 billion fast-track package to strengthen the Covid response in developing countries. As countries need broader support, the World Bank Group will deploy up to $160 billion over 15 months to protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery.

The India-specific project will immediately enable the government to scale-up efforts to limit human-to-human transmission. “The World Bank is working in close partnership with the government to provide urgent and flexible support to the country. This operation is expected to enhance surveillance capacities, strengthen diagnostic systems and expand laboratory capacity,” said Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country Director for India.

The World Bank will also build a network of high containment biosafety level-3 laboratories.