The World Bank Group has approved US$ 7.5 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA), to support Lesotho’s efforts to prevent, detect and respond to the global COVID-19 pandemic, under a new project the Lesotho COVID-19 Emergency Preparedness and Response project.

In a statement the World Bank indicates that the project will support the Kingdom of Lesotho’s efforts, to mitigate the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and provide immediate support to containment and treatment strategies.

It will support the Lesotho National Integrated Response Plan to the COVID-19 pandemic, by financing critical interventions such as epidemiological investigations for contract tracing, screening travelers at ports of entry, expanding infection prevention and control at health facilities.

The project will also fund surge response capacity, equipping frontline health workers with personal protective equipment, as well as goods and equipment, to strengthen Lesotho’s efforts to test for COVID-19.

The World Bank Country Director to Lesotho Marie Francoise said working together with other development partners, the World Bank Group is committed to moving quickly to assist the Government of Lesotho in its COVID-19 response to save lives, and protect the livelihoods of the people of Lesotho, particularly the most vulnerable in society.