UNDP, UNOPS, UNICEF, Islamic Development Bank and the Government of Cameroon join forces to fight the COVID-19 pandemic

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has extended a financing facility to the Government of Cameroon amounting US$ 27.44 million to provide an immediate response to COVID-19 by procuring vital medical and non-medical equipment— including scanners, respiratory equipment, ambulances, mobile radios, hospital beds and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

“I am confident that these agreements will contribute to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Cameroon,” said Mayoro Niang, Manager of the IsDB-Abuja Regional Hub.

The medical and non-medical supplies will lift-up efforts of the frontline health workers, improve testing capacity and early detection and support the management of COVID-19 cases, thus enabling a strengthened health system in Cameroon. IsDB and the Government have agreed to entrust the implementation of the project activities to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

UNDP and UNOPS signed on 23 July 2020 their agreement with the Government of Cameroon worth respectively US$13.8 million and US$9.1 million to strengthen the health system and support the COVID-19 recovery in the country. A similar agreement is being finalized between the Government of Cameroon and UNICEF for a total amount of US$ 4.2 million.

The agreements reached with these United Nations specialized agencies aim to fast track the process of acquiring emergency medical supplies, ambulances, laboratory equipment, and other essential items for the government of Cameroon— therefore strengthening the logistics chain of the Ministry of Health to support health centers— and to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the country. In the same vein, a country platform for reporting, information monitoring, and experience-sharing on COVID 19 is under operationalization.

This support is part of a «no regret» approach that will strengthen Cameroon’s health systems in a sustainable and comprehensive manner.

Original source: IsDB