World Bank Provides $4.5 Million to Support SVG’s COVID-19 Emergency Response

The World Bank activated US$4.5 million on April 17 to provide immediate funding for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, aimed at strengthening the capacity of the health system.  

“The World Bank is working closely with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to help the health system prepare for the impacts of COVID-19 and to protect people, especially the most vulnerable,” said Tahseen Sayed, the World Bank’s Country Director for the Caribbean.  

The financing will be used to improve the ability to isolate patients, increase testing capacity, and purchase critical supplies, including personal protective equipment, mobile isolation units, testing equipment, reagents, gloves, and masks. It will also support preparedness and response capacity for other public health emergencies by increasing access to medical equipment and expanding the capacity of hospital units.

These funds were mobilized under the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Regional Health Project using the Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC). CERCs allow funds to be reallocated from the project to be used for emergency response activities.