World Bank Approves $100 Mln In Fast-Track COVID-19 Assistance To Afghanistan

The World Bank said on Friday it had approved an over $100 million worth of fast financing for Afghanistan to help the country fight the spread of the coronavirus

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd April, 2020) The World Bank said on Friday it had approved an over $100 million worth of fast financing for Afghanistan to help the country fight the spread of the coronavirus.

"The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors today approved a $100.4 million grant for the Afghanistan COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project to help Afghanistan take effective action to respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthen its public health preparedness," the organization said in a press release.

According to the text, the aid will cover all of Afghanistan's 34 provinces to be used for tackling the spread of the virus and enhancing response capacity in terms of treating the infected, as well as addressing "significant negative externalities expected in the event of a widespread COVID-19 outbreak, including comprehensive health awareness and behavior change campaigns.

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The money will come from a grant financed by the International Development Association, the World Bank Group's fund for the poorest countries, in the amount of $100.4 million, of which $19.4 million will be provided from the World Bank's COVID-19 Fast-Track Facility.

There have been 273 COVID-19 cases in Afghanistan, including six fatalities, as of Friday, according to statistics compiled by the Johns Hopkins University.

The World Bank Group has announced a $14 billion fund of fast-track assistance for developing countries to help them fight the COVID-19 outbreak through immediate financing, policy advice and technical assistance for tacking the health and economic impact of the pandemic.