World Bank Approves $18 Million for Nigeria and Others to Support Effective Disease Surveillance in West Africa.
In order to enhance efficient disease surveillance in West Africa, the World Bank Group has granted a total of $18 million in two new financings from the International Development Association (IDA). The organization said that these funds would help implement the ongoing Regional Disease Surveillance Systems Enhancement Program (REDISSE) in Benin ($6 million), Senegal ($7 million), and by the West Africa Health Organization, WAHO ($5 million).
It declared that its goal was to enhance regional and national capabilities to manage disease threats at the interface of humans, animals, and the environment, which is the source of the majority of known new and epidemic-prone pathogens.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the REDISSE program was created and has proven to be crucial to the early emergency COVID-19 response actions, repurposing its funding to allow participating countries to undertake surveillance and contact tracing activities; conduct laboratory testing and diagnosis; procure essential drugs, equipment, material, and commodities; and organise training for healthcare staff.
These additional financings will help Benin, Senegal, and WAHO to complete the remaining originally planned activities to enhance surveillance and information systems, strengthen the laboratory systems, and build capacities to foster inter-country collaboration and coordination of disease surveillance and epidemic preparedness in West Africa.”