Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief
The World Bank has approved three new loans totaling $1.57 billion to support Nigeria’s health sector.
This was contained in a statement from the bank’s country office in Abuja today.
The bank said the funds will be used to strengthen human capital development through improving the health of women, children and adolescents.
“The World Bank today announced a total of 1.5 billion Approved three $70 million projects: “dam safety and irrigation,” the bank said.
Additionally, “New funding includes $500 million for Addressing Governance Issues Constraining Education and Health Delivery (HOPE-GOV) and $570 million for the Primary Health Care Delivery Enhancement Program (HOPE-PHC). and $500 million for sustainable electricity and health care delivery.” Nigeria Irrigation Project (SPIN).
“The combined HOPE-GOV and HOPE-PHC programs will support the Nigerian government to improve service delivery in the basic education and primary health care sectors, which are critical to improving Nigeria’s human capital outcomes. .
“The SPIN project will help improve dam safety and manage water resources for hydropower generation and irrigation in some parts of Nigeria.”
The HOPE-GOV program will help Nigeria address fundamental governance weaknesses in government systems and procedures in two key human development sectors.
“In particular, we will focus on key cross-cutting issues and enablers related to both financial and human resources management in the basic education and primary healthcare sectors.
“This program will increase the availability and effectiveness of financing for basic education and primary health care service delivery, strengthen transparency and accountability in financing, and strengthen the funding of basic education teachers and primary health care providers by federal, state, and local governments. Improve workforce recruitment, deployment, and performance management.
“To support the government’s newly launched health sector reforms and under the Health Sector Innovation Investment Initiative, the HOPE-PHC project will improve the quality of core reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health and nutrition services. It will improve access, significantly reduce maternal and under-five mortality rates, and improve the resilience of health systems, benefiting 40 million people, especially the most vulnerable.”
The HOPE-PHC project is funded by a $500 million International Development Association (IDA) concessional loan and an additional $70 million grant from the Global Finance Facility for Women, Children and Youth (GFF) has been.
“GFF support includes $11 million from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO) and $12.5 million from the Children’s Investment Foundation Fund (CIFF), co-financed with GFF, to support primary and community care and Help fill maternal funding gaps. Support newborn care at the hospital level, while also supporting government efforts to ensure sustainable funding of family planning products.
The SPIN program helps Nigeria protect its people from floods and droughts by strengthening the safety and operation of its dams. The project will further support the delivery of new and improved irrigation and drainage services over an area of 40,000 hectares.
This will directly benefit up to 950,000 people, including households, farmers and livestock keepers, from improved agricultural productivity through more reliable, climate-resilient and efficient irrigation, water supply and improved irrigation water management. you can benefit from it.
Through the SPIN project, the government will develop a hydropower master plan and structured public-private partnership deals for hydropower projects.
Fund addresses challenges faced by women and girls
Ndiame Diop, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, said new financing for human capital and primary health care addresses the complex challenges faced by Nigerians, especially women and girls, in terms of access and quality of services. He said it would help him cope.
“Effective investment in the health and education of Nigerians today is central to increasing future employment opportunities, productivity and incomes while reducing poverty for the most vulnerable.
“The SPIN program is timely and will enable increased hydropower generation while protecting Nigerians from floods and droughts in implementation areas.”
He also said the World Bank stands ready to work with the federal government and other stakeholders to implement the program.
