WB prepares $247.5m PREP to help Pakistan fight coronavirus

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank (WB) has said that it has prepared a $247.5 million programme to support Pakistan’s frontline healthcare staff and those whom lives have been affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has aggravated the human and economic sufferings across the globe.

According to

an article published by the bank, “The WB’s Pakistan team stepped up to handle
the challenge by preparing the $200 million Pandemic Response Effectiveness in
Pakistan (PREP) project, supported by an additional $47.5 million from our
existing projects.”

The WB

further stated in the article that PREP was a uniquely nimble project that
progressed from inception to implementation in just 10 days.

“Processes

that usually take 10 months or more, such as opening designated accounts, were
greatly accelerated. As of April 23, the project has disbursed $69.8 million to
enable an early response to the emergency. This was made possible because of the
close working relationship between the bank and the government, and an
exemplary collaboration across a team spanning multiple sectors and time
zones.”

It said that

the WB’s support had already helped those people whose lives had been affected
by the emergency coronavirus-induced lockdown.

Besides, the

project provided personal protective equipment (PPE)– masks, gloves, protective
suits, gowns, coveralls, shoe covers, goggles and face shields— to doctors and
paramedics in order to protect them as they had a high risk of infection. “The
first consignment of PPE has already been delivered,” it stated.

Additionally,

PREP would help establish quarantine facilities in collaboration with public
and private hospitals and would supply diagnostic test kits, ventilators, and
other essential equipment.

It will also

strengthen laboratory capacity and train staff to enhance the country’s
detection capacity.

Turning this

crisis into an opportunity for revolutionising the education and learning
agenda through technology, the Pakistan government, with support from the PREP,
has launched the Teleschool initiative.

“This

platform is a dedicated TV channel operating between 8am and 6pm, with
educational content for students (Grades I to XII), to compensate for school
closures due to the lockdown,” the article stated.