WB approves Rs33.3b to help Pakistan counter COVID-19

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank’s (WB) Board of Executive Directors on Thursday approved $200 million (Rs33.31 billion) package to help Pakistan take effective and timely action to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening the country’s national healthcare systems and mitigating socioeconomic disruptions.

According to WB’s announcement on Thursday stating that this support would also draw an extra $38 million from eight existing projects for urgently needed medical equipment and supplies.

While focusing on the COVID-19 preparedness and emergency response in the health sector, the Pandemic Response Effectiveness Project (PREP) will also help the poor and vulnerable cope with the immediate impact of the pandemic through social protection measures, food rations, and remote learning education.

“The World Bank is ramping up its support to Pakistan and its people to fight the spread of COVID-19 in the country,” said Illango Patchamuthu, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan. “PREP will help strengthen the country’s capacity to detect and monitor the disease.