The European Investment Bank (EIB) announced on Friday it would boost its cooperation with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in its battle against the coronavirus pandemic around the world, in particular in vulnerable Africa countries. The partnership will strengthen primary healthcare in 10 African countries by scaling up its financing to ensure essential supply chains, including of personal protective equipment (PPE) and diagnostics, the two bodies said in a joint statement. The EIB, the long-term lending institution of the European Union, said the partnership would help governments in low and middle-income countries to finance and secure access to essential medical supplies and protective equipment through centralised procurement. The bank added that it plans a €1.4 billion ($1.5 billion) response to address the health, social and economic impact of coronavirus in Africa. However, it gave no details on how much funding it would put behind its partnership with the WHO. The tie-up will "contribute to a more effective response to COVID-19 and other pressing health challenges." said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. More than 3.27 million people across the world have been infected with coronavirus, and 232,200 have died, according to a Reuters tally as of 0200 GMT on Friday.
