Supporting multi-sector COVID-19 response in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka
By Editor_1
CERC Pool supports flood response activities by setting up centres and camps that provide shelter as well as personal health and safety kits -Disaster Management Centre, Sri Lanka.
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In early 2020 when the first COVID-19 wave swept across Sri Lanka, triggering lockdowns, and impacting livelihoods, the World Bank and the government came together to support emergency response actions across multiple hard-hit sectors. The result was the creation of the Contingent Emergency Response Components (CERC) Pool covering key economic sectors of agriculture, education, ICT, transport, and disaster risk management.

Within weeks, the CERC Pool reallocated $56 million from ongoing projects to support prioritized COVID-19 recovery and response activities. The CERC Pool, launched in September 2020, is supporting COVID-19 affected communities, strengthening resilience by online education ensuring food security, safe transport, water and sanitation, preparedness to floods, and expanding digital infrastructure.

This is only the second time in the Bank’s history when CERC resources have been combined from many ongoing projects into one account to meet an unprecedented COVID-19 emergency in Sri Lanka.

 Agriculture and food security

A total of $18.6 million was earmarked to support agriculture and food security needs. CERC Pool is supporting the construction of 104 crop storage facilities for small-scale farmers growing onions, mung beans, groundnut, and cowpea. Farmers also received high-quality seeds to continue their livelihood despite pandemic disruptions. The storage units are on State land to promote equitable access and are expected to be completed by the end of this year.

 Education

Under COVID-19 prevention the World Bank is also supporting the government to increase water and sanitation services in schools to improve daily disinfection and cleaning protocols. These measures include redesigning and installing additional facilities to ensure basic water, sanitation, and waste management services. These measures will be critical to resume onsite education and reduce the disparities that have emerged due to the pandemic.

Funds will also be used to provide catch-up and remedial education, which has become increasingly more important as school closures drag on due to the third COVID-19 wave.

Some funds have also been earmarked to support online education and set up a system for tele-education and e-learning for school and university students. This will include lectures and content for TV broadcasts, radio broadcasts, and print material. High-speed Wi-Fi internet connections will also be provided to 651 rural schools, along with computers, smart boards, and TVs.

Kanda, noting that the well-developed digital education has the potential to be a game-changer in education, said the World Bank hopes to engage and support Sri Lanka’s digital development efforts further and it would very likely be a key focus in the next Country Partnership Framework between Sri Lanka and the Bank that will map out projects for investment over the next four years.

 Digital Development

Under the $5.95 million ICT component, the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), in collaboration with various stakeholders, is working to improve digital infrastructure and bring public services online, to allow government officials to work efficiently from home. Under this initiative, ICTA is rolling out the following activities: expansion of the Lanka Government Cloud 2.0 (LGC 2.0) including the establishment of a high-availability disaster recovery site, implementation of a government-wide email and collaboration system and video conferencing facility, and a pilot digital forms submission platform (forms.gov.lk). These CERC activities are part of a broader digital transformation effort to implement a “whole-of-government approach” to improve the delivery of public services, making digitalization the way forward for Sri Lanka.

 Transport

The $24.2 million allocation from the transport sector is to implement sanitation and COVID-19 related social distancing measures on public transport. CERC activities have focused on the purchase of non-contact Infrared (IR) thermometers in buses, provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for transport employees, and to procure sanitizer spray machines for 300 bus terminals.

 Disaster Risk Management

Close to $1.61 million allocation under CERC Pool supports flood response activities including setting up centres/camps to provide shelter to displaced persons from seasonal monsoon-related flooding, purchase of folding field beds, thermometers, first aid kits, PPE, power banks, cleaning equipment and ration packs. In addition, the support includes the purchase of fuels for the operation of machinery and vehicles to ensure flood preparedness and timely support for displaced people.

Kanda noting  the CERC Pool has shown the importance of incorporating disaster risk management across critical sectors to improve the country’s disaster preparedness and ensure timely support for affected people during emergencies, assured, “The World Bank remains committed to contributing to Sri Lanka’s efforts to build back better.”

-World Bank

 

 

Editor_1
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