AF Benin COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project

closed

The proposed AF comes from the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) which allocated a grant in the amount of US$1,000,000 to the Government of Benin to support its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.The parent project prepared under the US$6.00 billion COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Program (SPRP) using the Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) and approved by the Regional Vice Presidency on April 2, 2020 then by the Board of Executive Directors on April 27, 2020, became effective on May 29, 2020. 4. The PDO is to prevent, detect and respond to COVID-19 and strengthen national systems for public health emergency preparedness in Benin. Initially, three comprehensive components aiming at supporting the attainment of the PDO were defined as follows (i) Emergency COVID-19 Response, (ii) Supporting National Prevention and Preparedness, and (iii) Implementation Management and Monitoring and Evaluation. It has been supporting the implementation of the Benin COVID-19 Plan. The Plan’s goal is to support: the strengthening of multi-sector national institutions and platforms for policy development and coordination of prevention, preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic , using the One Health approach; national and sub-national prevention, preparedness and response platforms; and implementation management and monitoring and evaluation. In order to adapt to the dynamic nature of the pandemic and the on-ground priority activities assessment, during the course of the project implementation, the Benin government and the Bank agreed to proceed to the project restructuring to adjust the initial 3 components to 2 components as well as their related cost.Progress towards achievement of the PDO and Implementation progress: The pace of project progress towards the achievement of the PDO and the overall implementation progress were rated satisfactory as per the first Implementation and Status Report (ISR), on June 30, 2020. Indeed, all the project’s activities are being implemented as planned and the project has disbursed 97 percent (US$10.08 million equivalent) of its total amount only three months after effectiveness. This disbursement ratio was achieved thanks to the almost complete implementation of the approved Work Plan and Budget encompassing the purchase of lab’s equipment and consumables and emergency medical supplies including 50 ventilators, the procurement and the ongoing set up of the two prefabricated treatment centers in the southern and northern regions. The proposed AF will be used to further bolster the Benin government’s endeavor to counter the pandemic initiated under the parent project and help fill the financing gap of the Benin’s new six-months plan. Indeed, even though Benin has bent the outbreak curve, the need to contain and control the infection to a lowest rate remains to avoid a potential second wave. No new activities will be added, this timely grant will be used to support the scale up of activities under the subcomponent 1.2 of the parent Project, which focuses on Case Management and Health System Strengthening, and aims at enhancing clinical care capacity of staff in treatment centers, including hospital infection control and prevention and guidelines and risk mitigation measures. To this end, the funds under AF will purchase the appropriate protective equipment and hygiene materials especially individual protective equipment and gowns for the treatment centers in need.