The World Bank has approved a USD 7.3 million emergency support fund for the government of Maldives in its efforts to combat the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

This was approved by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors and the fund aims to help the island nation detect, prevent and respond to Covid-19, declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The aid is also expected to strengthen the country’s public health preparedness and provide the optimal care for patients, procure personal protective equipment and medical supplies as well as support local hospitals to maintain essential services and strengthen intensive care.

Further, a contingency financing of USD 10 million has also been offered as support, this was under the Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Financing with a Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (CAT DDO), signed during 2019.

The USD 7.3 million aid will help the government cope with a surge in demand as well as enhance the capacity of laboratories in the capital city, Malé as well as outlying atolls so that the disease can effectively be diagnosed.

Further, the government will be training medical staff to manages Covid-19 cases under the support aid.

Financed by the International Development Association, this project will also support risk communication, community engagement as well as behavior change, especially in Malé, the congested capital of Maldives where transmission is more likely.

The World Bank’s Country Director for Maldives, Idah Z. Pswarayi-Riddihough stated that the project will help Maldives government to “alleviate the impact of COVID-19 and help it strengthen health services and acquire medical resources necessary to protect and treat all Maldivians, and the additional $10 million will help to mitigate the risks and vulnerabilities associated with the health crisis.”

The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Health with the support from existing World Bank Group projects in the island nation.

Ever since the pandemic has been sweeping across the entire globe at an alarming rate, the World Bank Group began rolling out a USD 14 billion fast-track package in order to strengthen the response from developing countries to the ever-changing situation. The response includes financing, policy advice as well as technical assistance in order to help the country cope with the economic impact of Covid-19.