The European Investment Bank (EIB) has offered Ghana a €82.5 million grant to help strengthen the country’s national COVID-19 response plan.

EIB n a statement on Monday EIB disclosed that the grant comprised a €75 million loan from EIB and a €7.5 million European Commission grant.

The European bank explained that the grant would enable the Ghanaian government to strengthen its healthcare by providing specialist medical equipment and medicines across Ghana.

It also revealed that the grant was the bank’s largest COVID-19-related healthcare investment support in sub-Saharan Africa.

Welcoming the grant while visiting the bank’s headquarters in Luxembourg, President Nana Akufo-Addo emphasised the need for more multilateral cooperations to help solve the health challenges occasioned by the outbreak of COVID-19.

“Strengthened cooperation between Africa and multilateral development partners is crucial to share global best practice and ensure a rapid response to health, social and economic challenges triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “The European Investment Bank and the European Union are key partners for Ghana, and I welcome their support for our national COVID-19 Health Response Plan.”

The president disclosed that specialist healthcare and medical services would also benefit from the record grant support.

The new loan, representing the EIB’s largest support for COVID-19-related health investment in sub-Saharan Africa, was signed by Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, and EIB Vice President Ambroise Fayolle.