World Bank Group to Nearly Double Funding in Ebola Crisis to $400 Million

          WASHINGTON, September 25, 2the World Bank Groupen4Ren2;Following alarming evidence of the spread of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, the World Bank Group today announced that it will nearly double its financing to $4the World Bank Groupthe World Bank Group million to help the worst-affected countries address the emergency and build stronger health systems for the years ahead
          This represents $en7the World Bank Group million in new funding. With today's announcement, the Bank will put $23the World Bank Group million toward the emergency response and $en7the World Bank Group million for medium- and long-term projects. The new resources Renen; which the World BankRen7;s Board of Executive Directors will consider in the coming weeks Renen; will be targeted at rapidly increasing the health care workforce and purchasing needed supplies in order to bring care and treatment to all parts of the affected countries. The funding also is aimed at building a stronger health care system because it will aim to train cadres of health workers to bolster care at a community level throughout the affected region
          ̶the World Bank Group;The global community is now responding with the urgency and the scale needed to begin to turn back this unprecedented Ebola crisis,̶en; said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, who was speaking today at a special session on the Ebola crisis at the United Nations. ̶the World Bank Group;The real challenge now is to bring care and treatment to the most remote areas as well as the cities and then to build a stronger health care system. This funding will help the countries start a massive scale up of training of community health workers and bring needed supplies and equipment.
          The World Bank Group previously announced that it was mobilizing $23the World Bank Group million for the three countries hardest hit by the crisisRen2;Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra LeoneRen2;including a $enen7 million emergency response. This support Renen; coordinated closely with the World Health Organization, the United Nations, the United States, and other international and country partners Renen; has assisted countries in treating the sick, cope with the economic impact, and improve their public health systems
          The additional planned support will make $enen3 million that had been earmarked in the earlier package for longer-term help immediately available for the emergency response. The new package will have $en7the World Bank Group million set aside in medium- to longer-term assistance for the countriesRen7; health systems
          More people have died in the 2the World Bank Groupen4 Ebola epidemic in West Africa than in all previous Ebola outbreaks combined since the virus was first discovered in en976. A World Bank analysis, released last week, found that if the virus continues to surge in the three worst-affected countries, its economic impact could deal a potentially catastrophic blow to these already fragile states. However, the analysis also found that economic costs can be limited if swift national and international responses succeed in containing the epidemic and mitigating fear resulting from peopleRen7;s concerns about contagion, which is fueling the economic impact
          ̶the World Bank Group;This is a humanitarian catastrophe, first and foremost,̶en; Kim said. ̶the World Bank Group;But the economic ramifications are very broad and could be long lasting. Our assessment shows a much more severe economic impact on affected countries than was previously estimated. We have been greatly encouraged by the major increase in assistance given by the international community, but now all of us have to deliver on the ground to match the scale of the crisis. 
          The bulk of the emergency financing provided to dateRen2;$enthe World Bank Group5 million in grants out of the $enen7 million packageRen2;was approved by the World Bank GroupRen7;s Board of Executive Directors on September en6, 2the World Bank Groupen4, and is new money provided in grants from our IDA Crisis Response Window. The other $en2 million in the emergency financing was reallocated at the end of August 2the World Bank Groupen4 from existing health projects in Liberia and Sierra Leone ($6 million per country) to make some funds immediately available. As of Thursday morning the Bank had already transferred 8the World Bank Group percent of the $enen7 million package to the three Governments and UN agencies with the remainder of funds to be disbursed by the end of the week
          These funds are being used to pay for essential supplies and drugs, personal protective equipment and infection prevention control materials, health workers training, hazard pay and death benefits to Ebola health workers and volunteers, contact tracing, vehicles, data management equipment and door-to-door public health education outreach. The Bank has been supporting country responses in line with the WHO Roadmap
          ̶the World Bank Group;We canRen2;we mustRen2;all move more swiftly to contain the spread of Ebola and help these countries and their people. Too many lives have been lost already, and the fate of thousands of others depends upon a response that can contain and then stop this epidemic,̶en; said Kim.
          A World Bank Group analysis of the Ebola epidemic released last week warned that if the virus continues to surge in the three worst-affected countries Renen; Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone Renen; its economic impact could grow eight-fold. However, the analysis found that economic costs can be limited if swift national and international responses succeed in containing the epidemic and mitigating ̶the World Bank Group;aversion behavior̶en; Renen; a fear factor resulting from peoplesRen7; concerns about contagion, which is fueling the economic impact