The Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) says it is yet to access funding from international donors on Coronavirus (COVID19) preparedness in the country and that all expenditures on it are domestically funded.
Mr. Abdulaziz Mashi Abdulaziz, Permanent Secretary, FMOH, said this while the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, was giving an update on the disease in the country, on Friday in Abuja.
News of Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that IMF is making available about 50 billion dollars through its rapid-disbursing emergency financing facilities for low income and emerging market countries that could potentially seek support.
Ten billion dollars of the amount is available at zero interest for the poorest members through the Rapid Credit Facility.
The World Bank Group President David Malpass also announced an initial package of up to 12 billion dollars in immediate support for countries coping with COVID-19.
The package will include emergency financing, policy advice, and technical assistance.
Abdullaiziz, said: “it is just the domestic funding that we have.
“The one that was announced by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group, are interventions made by the two institutions.
“But guidelines and framework of accessing the money are still yet to be developed.
“I believe the country representatives in various countries where the disease manifested will be getting in touching with them to see how we can access it, but for now I think it is strictly domestic funding the country is accessing.”
Abdulaziz disclosed that some donors and partners met with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), to see how they could support detection and response to the disease.
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