I.A.M - Magazine - Page 66
In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic struck globally,
Africa faced an unprecedented health and economic
crisis. The African Development Bank responded swiftly
through its COVID-19 Response Facility (CRF), extending
critical support to the African Union and the Africa
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
With financing under the ADF-15 Regional Operations
Envelope, the Africa CDC COVID-19 Response Project
emerged as a vital Regional Public Good, designed not
just to manage the pandemic, but to build a resilient
foundation for the future of public health on the continent.
At the heart of the intervention were three powerful
pillars: technical assistance and capacity building,
institutional support and project management, and a
targeted contribution to the AU’s Continental COVID-19
Solidarity Fund. The Bank’s financing accounted for
about 4% of the Africa CDC’s $643 million COVID-19
response plan and helped strengthen surveillance, early
detection, and response systems across the continent. It
enabled the recruitment and training of health professionals,
the provision of life-saving PPE, and enhanced Africa CDC’s
coordination capabilities at the height of the crisis.
Bolstering Africa’s Capacity
1.3 billion
Indirectly, this operation
touched the lives of
1.3 billion people across
the continent, over half
of them, were women.
PROJECT: Continental Response to
COVID-19: Africa-CDC
Agricultural Transformation (TAAT)
SECTOR: Health
AREA: Continental
COMMITMENT: UA 20 million
While bureaucratic delays in fund disbursement slowed
the initial rollout, the flexibility built into the project
allowed it to evolve in step with the changing pandemic
landscape. Aligned with the Africa Joint Continental Strategy
for COVID-19, the project empowered Africa CDC to
manage data, inform policy, and lead response coordination
among AU Member States. It also bolstered Africa’s
capacity to prepare for future pandemics, embedding a
legacy of institutional resilience.
By supporting early containment and coordinated public
health strategies, it helped shield communities from the
worst effects of the pandemic and laid the groundwork
for reopening economies safely. Indirectly, this operation
touched the lives of 1.3 billion people across the continent,
over half of them, were women.
Also importantly, the project integrated gender-responsive
actions — from equitable training and PPE distribution for
health workers, to recruitment strategies designed to
ensure balanced representation. These steps addressed
the disproportionate impact of the crisis on women and
reinforced inclusive public health response systems.
Today, the real legacy of the Bank’s intervention lies in
the strengthened institutional heartbeat of Africa’s public
health landscape. Africa CDC now stands more capable,
more connected, and more empowered to detect,
respond to, and mitigate not only COVID-19 but future
cross-border threats. In fragile contexts and beyond, the
project is already helping chart a new course, one where
Africa is not just reacting to global health emergencies
but leading with foresight, strategy, and solidarity.
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