ADB Provides $25.6 Million Tala Grant to Help Samoa Manage Covid-19
25 April 2022, MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has released a US$10 million (25.6 million tala) grant from its Pacific Disaster Resilience Program as direct budget support towards the Government of Samoa’s response to the community outbreak of coronavirus.
Samoa continues to battle a surge in the domestic transmission of the virus since the Ministry of Health stumbled across the first community case on the 17th of March 2022 when a passenger tested positive at Motootua National Hospital during a pre-departure assessment.
Samoa’s latest covid-19 update report states that as of Wednesday 20th April – six days ago – the total cumulative number of Covid-19 cases, from border and community cases, stands at 7,185.
“This quick disbursing financing will enable the Government of Samoa to rapidly put in place measures to contain the virus,” said ADB Director General for the Pacific Leah Gutierrez. “Rising vaccination rates will help Samoa and most of the Pacific sub-region recover from the effects of the pandemic.”
Gutierrez says Phase 3 of the ADB-supported Pacific Disaster Resilience Program (PDRP) is aimed at filling financing gaps often faced by developing Pacific Island member countries during disasters. “The ADB PDRP provides a predictable and quick-disbursing source of financing for early response and recovery activities”.
Established in 1966, the Asian Development Bank is owned by 68 member countries. Its work involves efforts to eradicate extreme poverty and achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and Pacific region.
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