World Bank loans Tunisia €82.5m to support covid-19 vaccine campaign

Tunisia Thursday subscribed for a €82.5 million loan from the World Bank, destined to support the vaccination campaign against the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The agreement for the subscription, in the pipeline since December, was signed by Tunisian Finance Minister Ali Kooli and WB Manager for Tunisia.

The loan will come to maturity in 2039 at an interest rate put at 0.43 per cent including 5 years of grace.

 

Tunisia rolled out on March 13 its vaccination campaign,  but by March 30, only 53,089 people have received the first dose and only 797,093 citizens have registered on the Evax platform,  waiting their turn to be vaccinated, although the pandemic is spreading.

 

On Tuesday, 1,847 new cases were reported, bringing the infection toll to 254,018.

 

The loan will also be used to strengthen the health system namely health security monitoring, information systems support and strengthening the cold chain, logistics, infrastructure and communication.
The funds will likewise help Tunisia to finance the acquisition of vaccines already validated and those yet to be vetted by the World Health Organization, Webdo Tunis reports.
The new credit is the second in few weeks between Tunisia and the Washington-based financial institution.

Late last month, the WB announced a $100 million loan to Tunisia which wants to ensure equitable and affordable access to the vaccine across the country.