Own Correspondent|The US Embassy in Harare says that The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank have approved a $13.7 million grant to finance the COVID-19 response in Zimbabwe.
The funds are meant to provide an immediate relief for frontline responders and health personnel. Its also meant to boost the country’s Global Health Security amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The statement informed that the Approval for the grant was made on the 13th of May, after a request had been made by the Zimbabwe Government Ministry Of Finance.
The funds which are from the African Development Fund (ADF) 14 Transition Support Facility are set to go a long way in Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 Response Project (CRP), whose aims is to minimise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country which is already facing economic and social challenges.
The CRP is meant to be used on 15 high-density urban suburbs in Harare , satellite townships and specific health facilities in other areas of the country.
The activities which the project is set to cover include boosting COVID-19 prevention and management protocols for healthcare personnel .It also includes populations in targeted regions, and increasing access to COVID-19 hand washing facilities in Harare, satellite townships and other affected regions.
The project is also set to supply COVID-19 medical equipment and laboratory test kits, personal protective equipment (PPEs) and set up handwashing facilities through rehabilitation or construction of boreholes.The training of healthcare personnel and laboratory technicians at community level on COVID-19 prevention and case management protocols will also be implemented. .
The World Health Organization is set to implement the project with the assistance of the with the country’s Ministry of Health and Child Care.
Over 680 000 people are set to benefit from the project.
The country is currently on lockdown and the majority of the people are in great need of assistance from the regional and international community.
Source: US Embassy Harare