Libya: African Development Bank grants $0.5 million emergency relief assistance for personal protective equipment (PPE) protection against COVID-19
The Bank’s funding will contribute to supporting the country’s national Response Plan for COVID-19
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, July 9, 2020/ -- The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) have approved a grant of $480,000 to Libya under the Special Relief
Fund (SRF) for the procurement of much-needed personal protective
equipment (PPE) intended for treatment of cases of infection of the
novel Coronavirus.
The Bank’s funding will contribute to supporting the country’s national
Response Plan for COVID-19. The assistance is intended to focus on
infection prevention and control and to shield communities,
particularly those most vulnerable including the health workers.
The $480,000 grant, is considered the first granted to the North African nation under the SRF since 2014. It was approved following a request
from the Libyan government. The operation is a result of close
coordination with the Finance and Health ministries.
Bank support will focus on the supply of PPE intended for use in ICUs
and during treatment of cases of infection, easing the concerns of the
medical staff, while enabling authorities to strengthen their readiness
plan for an expected surge in cases. The PPE equipment to be procured
will be distributed to hospitals across the country designated for the
treatment of COVID-19 patients.
The intervention will complement the ongoing humanitarian activities of
UN agencies and international organizations to mitigate the negative
effects of the virus pandemic on the population living in Libya.
Accordingly, the Bank support will be implemented by the World Health
Organization (WHO) operating in Libya.
North Africa is leading in the number of COVID infections in Africa
(around 45,000 confirmed cases) and deaths (around 1,500) since the
virus arrived on the continent in March, and while the reported number
of infections in Libya is still manageable - 156 confirmed cases and
five deaths as of June 1, 2020 - the health service in the country
suffers from severe shortages of staff, medicines, supplies and
equipment.
The COVID-19 pandemic occurs at a time when the Libyan economy is
dramatically affected by a sharp drop in oil production in addition to
the global drop in oil prices. The country is also facing social and
political disruptions, which threaten the entire population.
The Bank’s support intends to ensure that amidst the prevailing
circumstances, needed relief and assistance are provided to the Libyan
people, with a particular focus on the prevention of infection of
doctors, nurses and health workers who are at the forefront of the
pandemic and are critical for the success of pandemic prevention and
control efforts.
Link: Africa Development Bank
Play online games for free at games.easybranches.com
Guest Post Services www.easybranches.com/contribute