| Project Detail |
The additional financing for the Social Protection Improvement Support Programme in response to the health emergencies linked to the COVID 19 crisis (PAAPS – COVID-19 SF) aims to contribute to the Government of Morocco’s response to the health crisis declared a pandemic by WHO on 11 March 2020. PAAPS – COVID-19 SF is in line with the “COVID-19 Rapid Response Facility (CRF)” approved in April 2020 by the African Development Bank Group to mitigate the health, economic and social effects of COVID-19 on regional member countries. This additional financing which concerning an AfDB loan of EUR 117.82 million, is a response to a request by the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Administrative Reform (MEFRA) dated 19 March 2020. The number of cases that have tested positive for COVID-19 in Morocco currently exceeds the symbolic threshold of 100 000 and there is a strong possibility of a second wave of coronavirus. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic may affect the achievement of PAAPS-I objectives as the pandemic spreads. The Bank’s support will therefore help to upgrade public health facilities and build their response capacity to contain the spread of the virus. Thus, PAAPS – COVID-19 SF will complement the objectives of the initial programme and directly support the Kingdom of Morocco in its emergency response to COVID-19 shocks by ensuring swift and effective patient care. The activities to be carried out under PAAPS – COVID-19 SF mainly concern: (i) the upgrading of hospital facilities by providing them with equipment; (ii) procurement and supply of drugs and pharmaceutical products; and (iii) the mobilization of medical and administrative staff. It will, therefore, contribute to community health care during the pandemic and the post-crisis period by continuing to improve health care quality in adequately equipped health facilities.
Project Objectives
The proposed additional financing has two main objectives. The short- to medium-term objective is to contribute to the mitigation of COVID-19 health impacts by improving patient management conditions in public health facilities. In the longer term, the additional financing programme is expected to assist the Government in containing the effects of the pandemic and creating an enabling environment for the achievement of the broader objectives of the original PAAPS, which are to improve living conditions, especially of the most vulnerable segments of the population using an inclusive approach, access to social protection and social sector governance. |
