Washington — The World Bank today approved a €142 million ($150 million equivalent) credit from the International Development Association (IDA) and a $17 million grant from the Global Financing Facility (GFF) to finance the Strengthening Health System Performance and Resilience Project (PRPRSS).
The initiative focuses on adolescents, women, and children under five with the aim of improving disease surveillance and increasing the use of health and nutrition services. It will be implemented across the entire country and will focus on internally displaced persons and communities with limited access to health care.
According to Hamoud Abdel Wedoud Kamil, World Bank Country Manager for Burkina Faso,
"Human development is critical for social inclusion and a top priority for the World Bank. This project is aimed at supporting the government's efforts to build resilience and manage the current challenges in the health sector. It complements the recently approved $100.4 million Human Capital Protection Project that aims to improve the delivery of basic social services."
The Project is aligned with the World Bank's strategy for the Western and Central Africa Region, which seeks to enhance the social contract by strengthening the key institutions involved in the delivery of basic social services.
Luc Laviolette, Head of the GFF Secretariat, pointed out that, "Access to health care for women, adolescents, and children is one of the most valuable investments that governments can make to place their countries on a path toward development and prosperity. The GFF is proud to support the government of Burkina Faso's efforts to build an effective and resilient health system and ensure that the target groups have access to health care, including in the most fragile areas."
As Moussa Dieng, Senior Health Economist at the World Bank, noted, "The timing of this project is just right as it will help strengthen the country's capacity to prepare for and respond to health emergencies while improving the quality and use of health and nutrition services. It will also enable the World Bank to further support the various reforms undertaken by the Ministry of Health to strengthen governance, equity, and sustainable financing in the health sector."
