The World Bank has approved additional funding worth 24.8 million euros for the COVID-19 Emergency Response Project.
According to the WB press service, additional funding will support the Moldovan government in providing Moldova’s population with the vaccine against COVID-19. In particular, within the framework of additional funding for the project, vaccines against coronavirus will be purchased to cover 30% of the population in the second and third stages of vaccination. Also, within the framework of financing, technical and financial assistance will be provided for the vaccination of 50% of the population of Moldova. It is noted that vaccines will be purchased directly from manufacturers and through the COVAX platform, as well as excess stocks from other countries will be purchased. Herewith, the value-to-quality ratio will be taken into account, as well as the timing of vaccine delivery, the capabilities of the national immunization system, vaccine compliance with standards, etc. All COVID-19 vaccines will be provided to the public free of charge, vaccination planning will be carried out in accordance with the National COVID-19 Immunization Plan. “To save the lives of its citizens, Moldova needs access to safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 in the global market, and the World Bank is here to help,” said Anna Akhalkatsi, Director of the World Bank Office in Moldova. Let us recall that, in late April 2020, the World Bank approved a 52.9 million euros loan for Moldova. Funding has been provided through the International Development Association to implement emergency measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening the country's national health system and reducing social risks. Thus, taking into account additional financing, the size of the WB loan for this project will increase to 77.7 million euros. The WB press service notes that in general, the World Bank has allocated $12 billion to help more than 100 low- and middle-income countries respond to the social, economic and medical consequences of the pandemic. WB funding helps to strengthen the health systems of these countries, support poor households, create favorable conditions for maintaining jobs and providing funds for the population most affected by the pandemic. // 28.04.2021 – InfoMarket
