WASHINGTON, July 6, 2018 - Today, the World Bank approved an $80 million International Development Association (IDA)* grant and $20 million from the Global Financing Facility (GFF) in Support of Every Woman, Every Child, to support the government’s efforts to strengthen health services in Burkina Faso.
The Health Services Reinforcement Project will help improve the quality and utilization of health services with a particular focus on maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health as well as nutrition and disease surveillance. The project will also strengthen the health system’s capacity in the country’s march toward universal health coverage, while helping the government better respond to epidemics.
“This project aims to improve the population’s access to health services as well as the quality of health care provided, particularly to the most vulnerable population groups,” said Cheick Kanté, World Bank Country Manager for Burkina Faso.
“The World Bank’s support comes as the government of Burkina Faso is striving to establish national health insurance, with the goal of achieving universal health coverage. This new financing is aligned with the government’s new direction and reinforces other health interventions,” said Paul Jacob Robyn, World Bank Task Team Leader.
“The GFF is pleased to partner with the Government of Burkina Faso to help increase sustainable financing of the health and nutrition of women, children, and adolescents, thereby expediting progress toward universal health coverage,” said Mariam Claeson, Director of the Global Financing Facility.
The Governments of Norway and Burkina Faso, the World Bank Group, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will co-host the GFF replenishment conference slated for November 6, 2018 in Oslo, Norway.
* The International Development Association (IDA) is the World Bank’s fund for the poorest countries. Established in 1960, it provides grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 75 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. IDA resources help effect positive change in the lives of the 1.5 billion people living in the countries that are eligible for its assistance. Since its inception, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments have increased steadily and averaged about $18 billion over the past three years, with about 54% of commitments going to Africa.
*The Global Financing Facility (GFF) is a multi-stakeholder partnership that is helping countries tackle the greatest health and nutrition issues affecting women, children and adolescents. The GFF brings governments and partners together around a country-led plan, prioritizing high-impact but underinvested areas of health. The GFF Trust Fund acts as a catalyst for financing, with countries using modest GFF Trust Fund grants to significantly increase their domestic resources alongside the World Bank’s IDA and IBRD financing, aligned external financing, and private sector resources. Each relatively small external investment is multiplied by countries’ own commitments—generating a large return on investment, ultimately saving and improving lives. Learn more: www.globalfinancingfacility.org and @theGFF
For more information on the World Bank Group’s activities in Burkina Faso, please visit: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/burkinafaso
For more information on IDA: https://ida.worldbank.org/
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