World Bank approves US$60m in funding for COVID-19 response in Burundi

"This new funding will help the Government strengthen the pillars of the response to the pandemic, as well as the procurement and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines," said Jean Christophe Carret, World Bank Director of Operations for Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola.

The World Bank Group approved today US$60 million in additional funding for the COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project in Burundi to help the Government prevent, detect, and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and to strengthen the national public health system in Burundi.   

"This new funding will help the Government strengthen the pillars of the response to the pandemic, as well as the procurement and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines," said Jean Christophe Carret, World Bank Director of Operations for Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola.

This additional funding, which will cover the entire country, will also facilitate the purchase of COVID-19 screening tests, the management and referral of patients— including medicines, oxygen, ambulances, and other critical health supplies— and the purchase of laboratory equipment and personal protective equipment. The project will also strengthen cold chain storage, including refrigerators and cold rooms, and cover awareness campaigns for mass vaccination.

Funding for the COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project is provided by IDA* and shall be implemented over three years.