The World Bank has approved a loan of USD20 million to support Papua New Guinea’s emergency  preparedness and response plans.

Minister for Health &HIV/AIDS, Jelta Wong, expressed his gratitude  to the World Bank for their timely response, which he said,  would  elevate the current progress of the national government in its efforts  to combat coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) in the country.

“This approval reflects the support by the World Bank towards this global pandemic and indeed to our efforts in the country via the implementation roll out of the approved COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan,” Minister Wong said.

Mr Wong and Treasury Minister, Hon. Ian Ling-Stuckey will be formalizing  documentations soon  to allow  signing of the Loan Agreement without delay. Mr Wong paid tribute to his staff at the Department of Health, Treasury, Prime Minister and National Executive Council, World Health Organisation, World Bank PNG and other key departments who have contributed to completing and submitting the PNG COVID-19 Emergency Response Project dossier.

“The time and energy put in by these dedicated officers have resulted in a favourable and time response  by the World Bank Board in Washington DC of early this morning This is  timely news as our country moves to celebrate Easter in a way never experienced before. “ It is indeed a giant leap in the progress for PNG in our efforts to tackle COVID-19 that has a potential to cripple our already depressed economy,” Mr Wong said.