The World Bank has availed a US$6,68 million grant for Zimbabwe’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic under the Zimbabwe COVID-19 Emergency Response Project (ZCERP).
Minister of Finance and Economic Development Mthuli Ncube applauded the gesture by the World Bank saying it symbolizes strong partnership and deepened cooperation.
“The coming into effect of this grant will go a long way in supporting Government efforts in the deployment and management of COVID– 19 vaccines and strengthening related health systems capacity,” he said.
“In this context, the World Bank pledged to support and disbursed resources amounting to US$7,4 million through reallocations under the Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Programme and the Global Financing Facility — Health Sector Development Support Programme towards the COVID-19 response in Zimbabwe.
“Today’s event comes at an important juncture, where we are now witnessing the signing and coming into effect of another Grant agreement amounting to US$6.58 million to further advance our partnership in the fight against the pandemic,” the Finance Minister said.
The global pandemic has caused the loss of lives and livelihoods throughout Zimbabwe and the world .
World Bank country director Mara Warwick said the ZCERP was introduced as an additional layer to the support the World Bank had been providing to the health sector through the Health Sector Development Support Project (HSDSP) and the Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project (ZIRP).
“This Government commitment toward improving health service delivery, also reflected in advancements in the country’s procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, is applauded,” she said.
Warwick said both the HSDSP and the ZIRP contributed to the US$7 million that the World Bank channeled as operational support to the health sector in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Warwick, the new project ZCERP, financed by the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program and the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Trust Fund, aims to support the Government to deploy and manage COVID-19 vaccines and strengthen related health system capacity.
“ZCERP will provide essential resources to support the deployment of vaccines, improving health system capacity for a sustained and comprehensive pandemic response in Zimbabwe.
“The World Bank recognizes the adverse impacts of COVID-19 on lives and livelihoods and this support will ensure adequate deployment activities including outreach, equipment, training and contribute toward the implementation of a functional system to routinely track equitable vaccination coverage,” she said.
The bank has extended nearly US$1 billion funding assistance to Zimbabwe since independence, including commercial loans which have been temporarily suspended over pending arrears.
