WASHINGTON, March 29, 2022—The World Bank approved today a total of $134.9 million to support Madagascar in its efforts to strengthen its pandemic preparedness across sectors and improve the provision of basic health services and quality of care. The Pandemic Preparedness and Basic Health Services Delivery project is supported by a $50 million International Development Association (IDA*) credit,a $50 million IDA grant, and the two grants totaling $32 million from the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF**) consisting of $15 million to maintain and protect essential health services and support the rollout of COVID-19 tools and $2.9 million from Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund.
To deliver on its objectives, the project will facilitate the adoption of the One Health Approach which engages other sectors and key institutions (education, decentralization, public service) to help implement heath financing and human resources reforms. One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach, working at the local, regional, national, and global levels in order to achieve optimal health outcomes recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.
“It is essential to seize the current momentum surrounding the COVID-19 crisis to build a stronger and more resilient health system to detect and respond to the health crisis and adopt a “One Health” approach,” said Marie-Chantal Uwanyiligira, World Bank Country Manager for Madagascar. “Doing so will enable Madagascar to weather future shocks and cushion its most vulnerable populations from the adverse impacts of those shocks.”
