How the World Bank is mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 in the health sector

Since March 2020, the World Bank Group has been helping client countries respond to the global health, social, and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). In May, it reached a milestone by supporting 100 countries with emergency COVID-19 operations – the largest and fastest crisis response in history.

This was a landmark moment for the World Bank’s pledge to make available $160 billion in grants and financial support to countries over 15 months. Among the announced country programs, close to 70 are health operations, and 33 percent are in fragile and conflict-affected settings, such as Djibouti, Haiti, and Mali.

The scale and speed of the response has been critical in helping countries mitigate the adverse impacts of the crisis and prioritize the human capital investments that can accelerate recovery. Broadly, these operations focus on three priority areas.

First, helping developing countries implement emergency health operations

To save lives, the World Bank (WB) is helping strengthen countries’ health facilities and ensure that enough well-trained frontline health workers are in place. WB is also facilitating countries’ access to critically needed supplies and equipment, by identifying interested suppliers and negotiating prices and conditions.

In the Philippines, one of Southeast Asia’s hardest-hit countries, the Bank’s response will strengthen capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19.

The project will cover all states and scale up efforts to limit human-to-human and animal-to-human transmission. Additional funds have also been made available to accelerate India’s COVID-19 Social Protection Response Program.

Second, protecting the poorest households and most vulnerable

The World Bank estimates that the coronavirus pandemic will push 71 million people into extreme poverty. Globally, the number of people facing acute food insecurity is also likely to double by the end of the year. Using an inclusive and multisectoral approach, the bank’s COVID-19 operations are tackling the impact of the shock on the poorest people and most vulnerable.

In Haiti, the Bank has taken urgent action by providing financing that will not only improve testing and treatment but also prevent food insecurity by safeguarding the agriculture production for the next two cropping seasons.

In Ethiopia, the emergency response will support the country’s National Preparedness and Response Plan for COVID-19.

In Pakistan, Bank financing is helping strengthen the country’s health care system while also mitigating socioeconomic disruptions.

Third, focusing on stronger health systems and pandemic preparedness

To build a more resilient recovery, the World Bank’s emergency response is helping countries be better prepared for future crises. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a wake-up call, underscoring the importance of investing in resilient health systems that can detect, identify, treat, and halt transmission. It highlights the critical need to invest in better preparedness.

In Ukraine, for example, the financing will help improve the efficiency and quality of health services, particularly for non-communicable diseases, and help prevent, detect, and respond to COVID-19. Up to 40 hospital emergency departments and stroke units will be upgraded to allow them to perform complicated medical procedures using high-tech equipment.

Long before COVID-19, the World Bank had been helping countries strengthen their preparedness to detect and control disease outbreaks.

Original source: World Bank
Published on 22 June 2020