The federal government and the United Nations have launched a Coronavirus (COVID-19) basket fund to harmonise investments for the national pandemic response plan.
It will serve as a platform for diverse stakeholders to channel their financial support to ensure an efficient, effective and impactful response to the outbreak.
The Coronavirus has spread across 209 Countries and Territories around the
world.
It is reported that there are 1,249,107 confirmed cases world-wide, 67,998 deaths with about 236,270 people who have recovered from the disease as at 5th of April,2020.
The Disease has placed considerable and significant strain on the global health care system.
Although Nigeria does not have as high a rate of infection of the virus as recorded in other countries, the need to prevent, prepare and respond to the pandemic is important.
The Nigeria government is now partnering the United Nations to establish a basket fund that will help raise funds and equipment to support the efforts of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 Response.
The COVID-19 Basket Fund will be facilitated and implemented by the UN system in Nigeria, through a Project Management Board comprising representatives of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 Response, relevant Government agencies, contributing donors and the UN system.
The National COVID-19 Response Plan is developed around 10 encompassing pillars which are :
-scaling up surveillance
– testing
– isolation
– contact tracing
– infection prevention and control
– case management of critically unwell COVID-19 patients
– risk communication and community engagement
– research and emergency preparedness
– security and logistics for mass care
and
– coordination and resource mobilization.
