World Bank extends support to Maldives’ workers impacted by COVID-19
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WASHINGTON, D.C., January 25, 2021 The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved additional financing of $21.6 million to further help Maldives mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis on poor and vulnerable workers and their families.
The additional financing will be utilized to expand the existing COVID-19 Emergency Income Support Project, which was approved by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors in June 2020 with funding of $12.8 million. It will help finance the extended duration of the Government’s COVID-19 Income Support Allowance scheme by continuing to provide temporary support of up to MVR 5,000 (approximately $322) per month to workers who have lost their jobs or income as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
HEADLINES & GLOBAL NEWS
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(Photo : Pexels: Designdrunkard)
COVID potion in Sri Lanka puts a minister, who publicly drank it, in the hospital. This made a self-styled Sri Lankan holy man s supposed healing potion turn sour.
Last month, thousands defied public gathering restrictions to swamp a village in central Sri Lanka to get Dhammika Bandara s COVID potion. Herbal remedies are widely available in Sri Lanka, and at least 15,000 people turned up at the man s home over four days of sales in December, a local official said, the report explained.
Piyal Nishantha de Silva, Minister of Women and Child Welfare, was among many politicians who ingested the concoction and drank the COVID potion. Still, on Tuesday, parliamentary officials said he had tested positive for coronavirus since then and had taken it to a treatment center.
Sri Lanka’s extensive network of public healthcare workers has been the underlying force behind the country’s pandemic response. This series of articles, beginning with the Puttalam District, aims to capture the ground realities of pandemic management, from the perspectives of public health workers around the country.
Highlights:
Sri Lanka’ test, trace, treat pandemic management strategy has relied heavily on the country’s well established public healthcare system.
Nearly a year in, health workers from around the country have gained valuable insights and experiences on pandemic management.
The Puttalam District, among the first to be hit by the pandemic, has responded to unique risk factors and ground realities in pandemic management.
World Bank Discusses Opportunities for Maldives to Build Back Better from COVID-19
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MALE , MALDIVES, December 9, 2020 - Faris Hadad-Zervos, the World Bank s new Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, completed his first visit to the Maldives last week. The purpose of this visit was to experience firsthand the country s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery efforts, as well as the progress and results of the World Bank-supported projects in the archipelago. Based in Kathmandu, Nepal, this was the Country Director s first visit to the Maldives in his new role. Hadad-Zervos was joined by Chiyo Kanda, the new Country Manager for Maldives and Sri Lanka, based in Colombo.