Rwandan Government has allocated 60 million USD to combat COVID-19 since the outbreak in mid-March this year, the ministry of Health, Dr Daniel Ngamije revealed Monday in Kigali.
Speaking during a press briefing in Kigali, the senior Rwandan Government official said the money was allocated in the recruitment of additional health workers, and procurement of protective gear, test kits and intensive care beds, among others.
According to the Rwandan Minister of Trade and Industry, Soraya Hakuziyaremye, the government has also allocated a portion of this amount for economic support through lending to small and medium enterprises.
Since the virus outbreak, the government has released funds social supports through providing food relief to at least 20,000 hard-hit households living in Kigali, followed by other urban centres, it said.
A National Bank of Rwanda report from 30 April states that there has been a significant slowdown in the services and industry sectors, and that demand for loans is down 10.6% in the first quarter of 2020.
In Rwanda, lockdown measures halted swathes of economic activity classed as non-essential including mainly moto taxis; construction; other types of casual labour; tourism; bars; hotels; the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector; and any other sectors involving face-to-face communication.
As of Sunday, there have been 1,582 cases of COVID-19, of which 834 have recovered from hospital in the last 24 hours, the ministry of Health said.
CU/abj/APA