The World Bank yesterday announced that Saint Lucia will benefit from US$10.5 million activated from World Bank projects to bolster the country’s COVID-19 response.
A statement from the World Bank yesterday said that the financing will strengthen Saint Lucia’s efforts to address the health and economic impacts of the pandemic.
“The health and socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 are placing a heavy burden on the countries of the Caribbean,” said Tahseen Sayed, World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean. “This immediate World Bank financing will contribute to strengthening Saint Lucia’s healthcare system and support its efforts to manage the impact of the pandemic. It will also provide much needed income support opportunities through the rehabilitation of medical facilities.”
The statement said that the financing for the healthcare system will help increase testing capabilities, build isolation units, and enhance public information campaigns. It will also aid the rehabilitation of Victoria Hospital and other medical facilities, creating employment through the associated labour-intensive civil works that will also enhance infrastructure resilience.
The announcement comes as Guyana continues to await word from the World Bank on its application for COVID-19 financing. Several other CARICOM countries have already received positive responses from the World Bank on their applications. It is believed that Guyana’s unsettled elections crisis may retard decisions on its applications to agencies such as the World Bank.
