KATHMANDU, Nov 3: The World Bank (WB) is providing financial assistance worth $103.84 million, aimed at strengthening the quality, coverage, and resilience of Nepal’s health system.

Of the amount, the WB has agreed to provide US $100 million concessional loan from the International Development Association. Similarly, the multilateral lending organization will be providing the remaining US $3.84 million in grants from the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Trust Fund to help Nepal accomplish the task.

In this regard, the Government of Nepal and the WB on Thursday exchanged the digitally-signed financing agreements which were inked digitally on October 27. This was the first World Bank-financed project in Nepal that was digitally signed.

The agreements for the Nepal Quality Health Systems Program Operation were signed by Finance Secretary Krishna Hari Pushkar and the WB Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos. The agreements were exchanged in the presence of Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, WB Managing Director for Operations Anna Bjerde, and WB Vice President for South Asia Martin Raiser.

The program emphasizes improving the readiness of the health system for delivery of quality healthcare, enhancing coverage of health insurance, and strengthening health emergency preparedness and response capacity at the selected provincial and local levels.

It will be implemented by the Ministry of Health and Population in coordination with the Health Insurance Board at the federal level, and selected provincial and local governments in Koshi and Gandaki provinces.

 
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