In March, Nigeria received about 4 million doses of AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, shipped via the COVAX Facility, a partnership between CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO. The arrival of the vaccines marked a historic step towards the goal to ensure equitable distribution...
Nigeria records another milestone, launches second phase of COVID-19 vaccination
On August 16, 2021, Nigeria launched the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign; a continuous effort towards curbing the spread of the disease in the country. At a symbolic event to mark the second phase at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Abuja,...
Nigeria’s financing of health care during the COVID-19 pandemic: challenges and recommendations
In this study, the authors analyse the financing of Nigeria’s healthcare system in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They use the three health care financing functions: revenue collection, pooling, and purchasing. The findings show that Nigeria projected that it...
COVID-19 and progress towards achieving universal health coverage (UHC) in Nigeria
Nigeria like other low and middle-income countries made a commitment towards attaining UHC by 2030. The arrival of COVID‐19 poses additional pressure on the already weak health system, which in turn affects the provision of other equally important essential health...
Malaysia’s government seeks $11 billion more in Covid fund
Malaysia’s government plans to increase funds for Covid-19 support measures and raise the country’s statutory debt ceiling. The government considers adding 45 billion Malaysian ringgit ($10.8 billion) to the Covid-19 fund in order to support businesses...
Covid-19: Ten million Malaysians to receive financial aid
Malaysia allocates RM3.1 billion for implementing Covid-19 special assistance (BKC), aiming to reduce the impacts of COVID-19, starting from September 6. BKC provides to 4.4 million households that include 1.1 million single senior citizens and 4.5 million single...
Smaller firms receives COVID wage subsidy in New Zealand
New Zealand paid over $876 million for the Covid-19 wage subsidy scheme so far to support more than a quarter of the country's employees affected by COVID-19. Of the 781,364 jobs are covered under the scheme, 14 percent were for self-employed workers....
Philippines provides cash aid to COVID-infected employees
In the Philippines, workers who had been infected with COVID-19 can now apply for financial support to the Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) through a courier service. This benefit covers both sickness and death due to COVID-19. The COVID-19 has been added into...
Senegal: a resilient health insurance model in times of Covid-19
In recent years, Senegal has embarked on several strategies to finance healthcare, with the risk of a certain fragmentation. Visit strategic plan for the development of universal health coverage 2013-2017 aims to cover at least 75% ...
Azerbaijan explores the possibility of vaccinating children against COVID-19
As Central Asian countries, including Azerbaijan, are exploring the possibility of vaccinating children under 18 against COVID-19, news in Azerbaijan cited Hande Harmanci, Head of World Health Organization (WHO) office in Azerbaijan, informing the public that the WHO...
Public financial management (PFM) in a pandemic: What can the experiences of Bangladesh and Indonesia during their COVID-19 response teach us about the importance of PFM?
Shamima Akhter (ThinkWell Bangladesh), Anooj Pattnaik (ThinkWell), Callum Pierce (ThinkWell), Afroja Yesmin (ThinkWell Bangladesh), Pak Trihono (ThinkWell Indonesia) In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Helal, the manager of a busy health facility in...
South Sudan secures US$ 174.2 million to address the COVID-19 pandemic
On 30th March, 2021, South Sudan received US$ 174.2 million to help finance the country’s urgent balance of payments needs and provide critical fiscal space to maintain poverty-reducing and growth-enhancing spending. A sharp decline in international oil prices...
The Republic of Korea’s Coronavirus Disease Pandemic Response and Health System Preparedness (September 2021)
ADB’s report, the Republic of Korea’s Coronavirus Disease Pandemic Response and Health System Preparedness, comprehensively covers several aspects that were crucial to the success of the ROK, such as effective resource mobilization, coordination, and timely social...
All About Korea’s Response to COVID-19 (October 2020)
The "All About Korea's Response to COVID-19" booklet provides an interim overview of Korea's COVID-19 response efforts up to September 2020 in various areas including: - Epidemic response system - Testing, tracing, and treatment - Entry screening measures - Social...
COVID-19: Maldives begins administering second vaccine dose to children
Maldives has started inoculation of the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine among children age between 12 and 17 years in September. Maldives has vaccinated the COVID-19 vaccine to students in this age group since August 15. Over 40,000 school students will...