Development finance institution (DFI) the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has signed an agreement to become an implementing entity of the pandemic prevention and preparedness partnership Pandemic Fund.

This enables the DFI to coordinate financing of the fund’s approved projects in Africa, as well as to participate in a call for proposals for financing investments scheduled to launch in March.

The financial procedures agreement, signed in January with the World Bank Group, qualifies the AfDB to participate in a share of $500-million in Fund Secretariat financing for proposals for pandemic-related programmes, projects and policies, with a focus on low and middle-income countries.

“There is growing demand from African countries for support to overcome gaps in national health infrastructure exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic and other health crises.

“As a Pandemic Fund implementing entity, we are capitalising on our experience combining infrastructure financing with complementary support to improve the quality of life for the people of Africa,” says AfDB agriculture, human and social development VP Dr Beth Dunford.

The fund’s calls for proposals will be in phases. The first phase will be open to single and multi-country proposals in March, and the second phase will launch in June for regional proposals.

To date, the Pandemic Fund has financed two calls for proposals and approved 47 projects impacting 75 countries in six regions across the globe. On average, 43% of its resources have been allocated for countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the highest demand for Pandemic Fund grants.

Under the second call for proposals, more than half of the funds awarded went to sub-Saharan Africa.

Further, as an implementing entity, the AfDB will also play an oversight role, providing implementation support to beneficiary implementing organisations, as well as providing financial and progress reports to the fund’s governing board.

Its collaboration with the Pandemic Fund aligns with its Strategy for Quality Health Infrastructure in Africa that seeks to enhance healthcare infrastructure and improve health outcomes in Africa.

Continued collaboration with the Pandemic Fund can help more Africans experience the benefits of strengthened healthcare systems, Dunford says.

“We are ready to provide relevant support to beneficiary implementing organisations, the bank’s regional member countries, and regional economic communities in the Pandemic Fund’s third call for proposals.

“We will leverage resources from the fund, alongside our funding instruments, for bigger and better results,” she adds.

In June 2023, the AfDB approved about $124-million in financing for healthcare access expansion in Morocco.

The country’s 'Programme to Support Inclusive Access to Healthcare Infrastructure' initiative boosts the country’s specialised healthcare services in women and children’s centres, supports building and equipping hospitals and equips remote sites with telemedicine and teleconsultation facilities, she notes.

Meanwhile, the Pandemic Fund is a partnership among donor countries, co-investors, foundations and civil society organisations hosted by the World Bank. The World Health Organisation acts as the technical lead.

The fund assists countries and regions to strengthen their health systems and increase their investments, enabling them to boost pandemic prevention, preparedness and response capacities, the AfDB says.