Ethiopia has created an emergency kitty that all citizens across the country will contribute to in response to the potential impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently launched a National Resource Mobilisation Committee tasked with managing collection of the financial and non-financial resources for the kitty.

“Coming together as a nation in such trying times and caring for our most vulnerable is a national duty and responsibility,” said Mr Abiy at the launch of the committee.

Mr Abiy pledged to donate his one-month salary to the initiative, which galvanised similar contributions from the national resource mobilisation committee members, the country’s president, other top government officials and thousands of civil servants.

Thousands of individuals, private and government enterprises in Addis Ababa have also donated millions of dollars within the past few days. They have also provided their buildings, hotels and vehicles for use in the Covid-19 response.

Ethiopia is Africa’s second most populace nation with over 100 million people. If it takes further stringent measures such as a nationwide lockdown, then millions of vulnerable citizens, dependent on daily incomes, face an existential threat.

The domestic fund-raising is expected to avert a possible worst-case scenario for the most vulnerable.

Deputy Prime Minister, Demeke Mekonen, told local media that the fund would help the country to develop counter measures to reduce the devastating effects of the pandemic.

Ethiopian Telecom created a platform for people to contribute money via their mobile phone. Customers can contribute any amount starting from one Birr. The state utility has also created a platform to raise money from Ethiopians living abroad.

Financial support

The World Bank also approved a total of $82.6 million financial support to help Ethiopia combat the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Half of the money will be in the form of a grant and the other in credit, according to the World Bank.

“Although Ethiopia has achieved significant gains in improving health outcomes and strengthening its health system, the Covid-19 outbreak is expected to challenge the nation’s public health preparedness and response systems and negatively impact the economy,” said Carolyn Turk, World Bank country director for Ethiopia.

“The project will support Ethiopia’s National Preparedness and Response Plan for COVID-19 by financing the procurement of medical supplies and equipment, building diagnostic capacity and training, improving the health screening of people entering the country, and establishing quarantine, isolation and treatment centres,” she added.