TEHRAN - The World Bank has approved $90 million in loans to help Iran take effective and timely action to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening the country’s national healthcare system, deputy economy minister Ali Fekri has said.

“Ignoring attempts of the United States and the Zionist regime, the World Bank approved granting the loans to the Ministry of Health,” ILNA quoted Fekri as saying on Friday.

All the required equipment and medicine to deal with coronavirus are purchased and delivered to the country, he said, adding that problems due to banking restrictions and sanctions will not be effective. 

In August 2021, the World Health Organization issued a statement, saying that it is encouraging to see an acceleration in coronavirus vaccination in Iran.

One key measure taken in Iran is the COVID-19 Emergency Response Project (ICERP), financed by the World Bank and in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran. The project delivered life-saving medical and diagnostic equipment to public hospitals and laboratories across the country to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

MG