The $ 12 billion is part of a global World Bank Group package of up to $ 160 billion
Washington:
The World Bank said on Tuesday it had approved $ 12 billion for developing countries to fund the purchase and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, tests and treatment.
The funding “aims to support the vaccination of one billion people,” the bank said in a statement.
The money is part of a global World Bank Group (WBG) package of up to $ 160 billion through June 2021, designed to help developing countries fight the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“This funding plan helps signal to the research and pharmaceutical industry that citizens in developing countries also need access to safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines,” the statement said.
“It will also provide funding and technical support so that developing countries can prepare for large-scale vaccine deployment, in coordination with international partners.”
Access to safe and effective vaccines “and to strengthened distribution systems is essential to alter the course of the pandemic and help countries facing catastrophic economic and fiscal impacts move towards resilient recovery,” said the president of the World Bank Group, David Malpass.
The funding “will also help countries access Covid-19 tests and treatments, and expand immunization capacity to help health systems deploy vaccines effectively,” the statement added.
Funding approval was awaited as Malpass announced the project at the end of September.
While the vaccines have yet to appear on the market, Malpass noted in an interview with the French daily Le Figaro that it was necessary to prepare due to the complexity of the vaccine distribution process.
The Bank’s approach, the statement said, builds on its “significant expertise in supporting large-scale immunization programs against vaccine-preventable diseases, as well as on public health programs to combat these diseases. infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases “.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
