ISLAMABAD: The World Bank says progress on the project, for which it had approved $200 million for responding to the Covid-19 pandemic and strengthening national systems for public health preparedness in Pakistan, is moderately unsatisfactory and less than 40 per cent of the total financing has so far been disbursed.
The ‘Pandemic Response Effectiveness in Pakistan (Prep)’ project became effective on April 3 last year with a cost of $200m and funding from the International Development Association (IDA). As of January 28, the project disbursed $79.4m, which included $25m for the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) for achievement of performance-based conditions on cash transfers.