MONROVIA, November 19 (LINA) -The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved a US$285 million grant to finance Ebola-containment efforts underway in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

A release from the World Bank office in Monrovia Tuesday said the grant will also help communities in the three countries cope with the socio-economic impact of the crisis, rebuild and strengthen essential health services.

The grant is part of the nearly US$1 billion previously announced by the Bank for the countries hardest hit by the Ebola crisis.

The grant provides additional financing to the Ebola Emergency Response Project approved by the Bank’s Board on September 16, 2014, including US$72 million for Guinea, US$115 million for Liberia and US$98 million for Sierra Leone, the three countries most-affected by Ebola.

The release said the grant announced on Tuesday brings the total financing approved so far by the Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) -- Crisis Response Window (CRW) -- for the Ebola response to US$390 million.
The CRW is designed to help low-income IDA countries recover from severe disasters and crises.
LINA