KATHMANDU: The World Bank is to continue its assistance to Nepal in improving its health system.
World Bank Country Director for Nepal, Faris Hadad-Zervos made this commitment during a meeting today with Minister of Health and Population Mohan Bahadur Basnet.
On the occasion, Health Minister Basnet lauded the World Bank for providing cooperation to health and other sectors of Nepal and urged for further financial and technical assistance in the coming days.
The WB Country Director Zervos shared that the WB has been consistently providing support for the health sector and a loan assistance of 100 million USD and a grant aid of 3.84 million for the health sector is in the pipeline for the next five years. He added that the process is on for getting approval for this from the Council of Ministers.
Expressing happiness on behalf of the WB to collaborate in improving the health system of Nepal, the WB Country Director pledged to continue the cooperation during other epidemics and for improving the quality of health care like it did during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The World Bank provided cooperation with Nepal during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially by providing vaccines in the form of grants.
Minister Basnet said a part of the money provided by the WB during COVID-19 has been saved and the necessary process has been taken ahead for spending the amount by the Ministry itself. The spare amount of the money which was provided by the WB for spending during the pandemic was sent to the Finance Ministry and the World Bank wanted the Health Ministry itself to spend that amount, according to the Minister.
He stated that the spare amount is being brought back to the Ministry of Health itself as there is the possibility of the spread of diseases like dengue and others and the amount needs to be spent in other sectors as well.
According to him, around Rs 1 billion was saved from the amount provided by WB to spend during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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