The World Bank is poised to approve a US$22 million loan in March to help Guyana strengthen its capacity to prevent, prepare and respond to health emergencies.
According to documents seen by this news agency, the proposed project aims to strengthen Guyana’s capacity for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response by advancing compliance with international standards and positioning the country as a regional leader in the health sector.
The World Bank said the project builds on the achievements of the Guyana COVID-19 Emergency Response Project and integrates recommendations from key assessments to strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration, surveillance and laboratory systems. It will also support expansion of human resource capacity and promote equity in healthcare delivery.
Notably, a portion of the funding will help develop an integrated surveillance system with data collection tools that cover zoonotic diseases which are infectious illnesses that spread between animals and humans. The loan will also help to develop and expand early warning systems (EWAR) to enhance the timeliness and accuracy of responses.
Guyana Standard also understands that a portion of the funds will be used to strengthen border security. Programmes with regional centers of excellence in International Health Regulations (IHR), Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI), and Influenza-like Illness (ILI) will also be established. This is expected to pave the way for greater collaboration with neighboring countries like Brazil and Chile.
Overall, the project is expected to result in positive social outcomes by modernizing infrastructure and strengthening Guyana’s ability to monitor and respond to health risks at its borders.
