South Africa

Dr Anban Pillay is the Deputy Director General responsible for Health Regulation and Compliance at the National Department of Health in South Africa. He has served in various roles at the National Department of Health over the past 20 years. These include development of pharmaceutical policies on medicine registration, treatment guidelines, medicine formularies, procurement and service delivery strategies. He has also been instrumental in the developmental of the Universal Health Coverage (National Health Insurance) policy and legislative development in South Africa.

Joy St. John

Dr Joy St John’s 30 year career in Public Health has allowed her to give service at the national, regional and global levels.

She rose through the ranks of Public Health in Barbados to become the first Barbadian to be Chief Medical Officer of her country, from 2005 to 2017.

She has served as the Director and most recently in June 2024, completed 5 years as the first female Executive Director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency.

Pandemic Preparedness and Response through a One Health Approach

Laboratory specialist working on avian influenza at a renovated human health lab.
Pandemic Preparedness and Response through a One Health Approach

Background

The Pandemic Fund grant of $27 million will support a regional response to shared current and emerging threats to public health and food security in Central Asia. The five Central Asian countries, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, have historically faced common health, economic, social, developmental, and environmental vulnerabilities. As examples, zoonoses are very prevalent in the region and are expected to increase due to growing livestock production, regional trade, land degradation, loss of biodiversity, and climate change.

For inquiries about this project: Dr. Pierre Gerber -

For media inquiries: Anita Rozowska - arozowska@worldbankgroup.org

For general inquiries: the_pandemic_fund@worldbank.org

  • Region
    Region
  • Location
    Countries
  • Building
    Implementing Entities
  • Funding
    Amount Approved (US$) $27,160,421
  • Funding
    Total Co-financing
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $560,671,510
  • Funding
    Total Co-investment
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $30,288,948

Pandemic Response Optimization Through Engaged Communities and Territories

Wilfred Jurado Guaimaral works high on a mountainside on his farm, growing passion fruit in the township of La Paz, Colombia on January 12, 2015.
Pandemic Response Optimization Through Engaged Communities and Territories

Background

The Amazon Region accounts for approximately half of the earth’s biodiversity and its ecosystems are susceptible to the effects of climate change and human interference. Communities in the Amazon Basin are especially vulnerable to pandemic risks stemming from their remoteness and from exposure to wild vectors in tropical and subtropical areas. Arboviral diseases, acute diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory illnesses, and vaccine-preventable diseases are all significant risks. Poverty is widespread and infrastructure is limited.

For inquiries about this project: Dr. Ciro Ugarte -

For media inquiries: Anita Rozowska - arozowska@worldbankgroup.org

For general inquiries: the_pandemic_fund@worldbank.org

  • Region
    Region
  • Location
    Countries
  • Building
    Implementing Entities
  • Funding
    Amount Approved (US$) $16,864,280
  • Funding
    Total Co-financing
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $354,148,056
  • Funding
    Total Co-investment
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $200,000

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Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems, and Workforce Development

View from a UN helicopter in Mirebalais, Haiti, on November 7, 2012.
Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems, and Workforce Development

Background

In recent years the Caribbean region has experienced many infectious disease outbreaks, including COVID-19, cholera, Chikungunya, dengue, H1N1, mpox, SARS, and Zika, which have had profound human, economic, and social impacts. Within the context of public health security, countries in the Caribbean are characterized by small populations with varying surveillance, laboratory, and human resource capacities. The region is highly interconnected with porous borders, heavy reliance on tourism, and vulnerability to climate change and disasters.

For inquiries about this project: Dr. Lisa Indar - indarlis@CARPHA.ORG

For media inquiries: Anita Rozowska - arozowska@worldbankgroup.org

For general inquiries: the_pandemic_fund@worldbank.org

  • Region
    Region
  • Location
    Countries
  • Building
    Implementing Entity
  • Funding
    Amount Approved (US$) $16,036,961
  • Funding
    Total Co-financing
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $139,580
  • Funding
    Total Co-investment
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $8,506,028

Multisectoral Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project

Irrigated wheat fields at Huntley Farm, which is owned and operated by Zambeef. It includes 4,500 hectares of cropped land, includedig 60 hectares of wheat fields. It also includes poultry houses, a dairy, a dairy processing facility, an abattoir, a flour mill, egg production and a transport facility with trucks. 22,000 chickens are slaughtered daily, and 150-200 cattle per week. There are 160,000 laying hens.
Multisectoral Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project

Background

Zambia has a high burden of communicable disease, including malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. Bordered by eight countries, it lies in a region rife with disease outbreaks. Within Zambia, the expansion of agriculture, tourism, and mining increases and changes the human-animal-environment interface in ways that could potentially lead to the emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases with pandemic potential.

For inquiries about this project: Prof. Roma Chilengi -

For media inquiries: Anita Rozowska - arozowska@worldbankgroup.org

For general inquiries: the_pandemic_fund@worldbank.org

  • Region
    Region
  • Location
    Country
  • Building
    Implementing Entities
  • Funding
    Amount Approved (US$) $18,874,603
  • Funding
    Total Co-financing
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $13,000,000
  • Funding
    Total Co-investment
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $1,500,000

Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project

Plowing the fields
Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project

Background

The Yemen Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project is a partnership between the Government of Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health and Population (MOPHP), Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Fisheries (MAIF), civil society organizations, and three Implementing Entities (IEs) including FAO, UNICEF, and WHO.  The Project is supported by a $26 million grant from the Pandemic Fund and will leverage an additional $82 million in co-financing and $6 million in co-investment to support Yemen’s efforts in building its capacity in preparedness and response. 

For inquiries about this project: Dr. Mosleh Toali -

For media inquiries: Anita Rozowska - arozowska@worldbankgroup.org

For general inquiries: the_pandemic_fund@worldbank.org

  • Region
    Region
  • Location
    Country
  • Building
    Implementing Entities
  • Funding
    Amount Approved (US$) $26,020,000
  • Funding
    Total Co-financing
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $81,555,648
  • Funding
    Total Co-investment
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $5,507,140

Strengthening Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response

The World Bank-funded Village and Neighborhood Development Project (VNDP) aims to build capacity in marginalized communities through a community-driven development (CDD) approach. In Tubas, the community (through the project's Joint Service Council) bought a excavator/backhoe (at a price USD 84,000) that now services nine villages. It is used to dig holes for olive trees, and to build access roads which makes it easier for farmers to get to their fields even during the rainy season. Here, farmer Moa
Strengthening Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response

Background

The Project seeks to strengthen response and preparedness for future health emergencies and pandemics, while recognizing the difficult context of security and economic restrictions in West Bank and Gaza.  It is led by the Ministry of Health (MOH), in partnership with the Ministries of Agriculture (MOA) and Finance (MOF), and Environment Quality Authority (EQA), and four Implementing Entities (IEs) (FAO, UNICEF, World Bank, and WHO).

For inquiries about this project: Dr. Wael Al Shaikh - d.m.alsheikh@moh.ps

For media inquiries: Anita Rozowska - arozowska@worldbankgroup.org

For general inquiries: the_pandemic_fund@worldbank.org

  • Region
    Region
  • Location
    Country
  • Building
    Implementing Entities
  • Funding
    Amount Approved (US$) $20,000,000
  • Funding
    Total Co-financing
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $11,958,282
  • Funding
    Total Co-investment
    (in kind & in cash) (US$)     $25,085,000
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