African Development Bank mobilizes $22 million for low-income countries in the ECOWAS region

The African Development Bank approved an emergency project in favor of low-income countries members of ECOWAS for strengthening the health systems of The Gambia, Mali and Niger in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through this project, the Bank is making available to countries an amount of $22.4 million. This financing is intended, on the one hand, for an amount of 9.55 million US dollars to acquire and make available to countries consumable goods and complementary inputs including screening tests, laboratory consumables, ventilators of respiratory assistance and personal protective equipment for medical personnel.

The second activity of the project, worth approximately $12.83 million, will consist in strengthening and integrating the health systems of The Gambia, Mali and Niger, in particular, through coordination, operation and equipping national COVID-19 pandemic response teams; the development and equipment of health infrastructures; training of health personnel; the supply of medical consumables and pharmaceutical products and the establishment of a computerized early warning system.

The operation will be executed by the West African Health Organization (WAHO), in accordance with the mandate to coordinate the interventions of technical and financial partners which has been entrusted to it by the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, in order to harmonize the fight against the pandemic.