WASHINGTON, June 28, 2024 – The World Bank has given its seal of approval for a $100 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA)*. This significant funding is earmarked to bolster Mali’s efforts in enhancing the availability and uptake of crucial reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent, and nutritional (RMNCAH+N) health services. Furthermore, the initiative aims to fortify the nation’s capacity for health emergency preparedness within specific regions.
Operating under a Results-Based Financing (RBF) framework, the project, aptly named ‘Promoting Inclusive Health System Resilience for All in Mali,’ or Keneya Yiriwali in Bambara, is designed to elevate the overall standard of vital health provisions. This specifically targets RMNCAH+N services, broadening their reach across more geographic areas and higher tiers of the healthcare infrastructure. The funding will cover essential resources and implement performance-linked payments in designated regions and educational institutions, contingent on available funds, thereby boosting service delivery efficacy and accessibility. The expansion of this program encompasses climate-vulnerable communities, regional hospitals, and school health clinics, placing a particular emphasis on adolescent health, climate-related emergencies, and strategies for pandemic readiness and response. Ultimately, Keneya Yiriwali seeks to refine the efficiency of health sector expenditures through enhanced budgetary oversight, streamlining health financing, and establishing information systems that connect financial allocations with operational outcomes.
Clara de Sousa, the World Bank’s Operations Director for Mali, emphasized the critical role of this initiative: “The expansion of Results-Based Financing, which now integrates climate risks related to both energy and emergency management, is truly the driving force behind improving the provision of quality healthcare services for the populace under the Keneya Yiriwali project. This effort builds upon the successes of the Accelerating Progress Towards Universal Health Coverage (PACSU) project, which notably enhanced healthcare utilization, quality metrics, medication availability, and patient satisfaction across nine administrative regions.” Ms. de Sousa further added, “RBF has proven to be a transformative mechanism, empowering health facilities, encouraging local hiring, fostering infrastructure development, and equipping laboratories throughout Mali.”
The total financial commitment for this IDA operation stands at $125 million. This sum is jointly funded by the $100 million IDA credit and a $25 million grant from the Global Financing Facility (GFF). Notably, $15 million of the GFF grant originates from the Government of the Netherlands, provided through a co-financing arrangement. This synergistic partnership was instrumental in the successful implementation of the RBF approach via the PACSU project in Mali from 2020 to 2024.
According to Luc Laviolette, Head of the GFF Secretariat, “Building on previous support, the GFF grant, coupled with co-financing from the Government of the Netherlands, will establish a robust alignment in Mali to elevate health services for women, children, and adolescents.” Mr. Laviolette underscored the broader impact, stating, “Investing in a more resilient and inclusive health system is crucial for ensuring the needs of the most hard-to-reach and climate-vulnerable communities are met.”
Keneya Yiriwali is poised to benefit a substantial population, primarily focusing on women, adolescents, and children, encompassing an estimated 15.4 million individuals. This includes 3 million children under the age of five and 3.4 million women between 15 and 49 years old. The project’s geographical scope will expand beyond the initial PACSU-supported regions—Gao, Mopti, Douentza, Bandiagara, San, Ségou, Koulikoro, Dioïla, and Nara—to incorporate new areas. These additions include Tombouctou, Bougouni, Koutiala, and Sikasso, which report the nation’s highest poverty rates, alongside Commune VI within the Bamako district.
*The International Development Association (IDA) serves as the World Bank’s dedicated arm for assisting the world’s most impoverished nations. Established in 1960, IDA extends grants and low-to-zero interest loans to fund initiatives and programs aimed at fostering economic growth, alleviating poverty, and enhancing the livelihoods of the most disadvantaged populations. IDA stands as a leading financier for 76 of the globe’s poorest countries, with 39 of these located in Africa. Its resources positively impact the lives of 1.6 billion individuals. Since its inception, IDA has championed development activities in 113 countries, with its annual commitments averaging $21 billion over the past three years, approximately 61% of which is directed towards Africa.
