WASHINGTON – The World Bank has greenlit a substantial $100 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA)* to empower Mali in enhancing the reach and utilization of vital reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent, and nutritional health services. This crucial funding also aims to bolster health emergency readiness across designated regions.
Leveraging a Results-Based Financing (RBF) methodology, the initiative, officially titled “Promoting Inclusive Health System Resilience for All in Mali,” known locally as Keneya Yiriwali, is designed to elevate the overall quality of essential health provisions. This specifically includes reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent, and nutrition (RMNCAH+N) services, by broadening coverage areas and strengthening higher tiers of the health system. The project will allocate resources for necessary inputs and performance-linked payments within targeted regions and educational institutions, contingent on available funds. This strategic investment seeks to improve service delivery effectiveness and availability. Its expanded scope encompasses climate-vulnerable areas, regional hospitals, and school infirmaries, with a particular emphasis on adolescent health, climate-related emergencies, and robust pandemic preparedness and response. Furthermore, Keneya Yiriwali is committed to optimizing healthcare expenditure quality through enhanced budgetary management, streamlining health financing mechanisms, and implementing information systems that effectively link budgets to performance outcomes.
“The expansion of Results-Based Financing, which now integrates climate risks related to both energy and emergency management, serves as a primary driver for improving the availability of quality healthcare services for the population under the Keneya Yiriwali project,” explained Clara de Sousa, World Bank Country Director for Mali. “This new endeavor builds upon the successes of the Accelerating Progress Towards Universal Health Coverage (PACSU) project, which significantly improved healthcare utilization, quality scores, medication availability, and patient satisfaction across nine administrative regions. RBF has consistently proven to be a transformative instrument, strengthening the capabilities of health facilities and fostering local recruitment, infrastructure development, and laboratory equipment upgrades throughout Mali.”
The total financial commitment for this IDA operation stands at $125 million. This comprises the $100 million IDA credit alongside a $25 million grant from the Global Financing Facility (GFF), with $15 million of the GFF contribution stemming from a co-financing arrangement with the government of the Netherlands. This collaborative partnership was instrumental in the successful implementation of the RBF approach through the PACSU project in Mali from 2020 to 2024.
“Building on prior support, the GFF grant and co-financing with the government of the Netherlands will ensure strong alignment in Mali to enhance health services for women, children, and adolescents,” stated Luc Laviolette, Head of the GFF Secretariat. “Investing in a more resilient and inclusive health system is crucial for meeting the needs of the hardest-to-reach and most climate-vulnerable communities.”
Keneya Yiriwali is set to primarily benefit women, adolescents, and children, impacting a total population of 15.4 million individuals, including 3 million children under five and 3.4 million women aged 15 to 49. Its coverage will extend beyond the initial PACSU regions—Gao, Mopti, Douentza, Bandiagara, San, Segou, Koulikoro, Dioila, and Nara—to encompass new regions like Tombouctou, Bougouni, Koutiala, and Sikasso, which report the highest poverty rates, as well as Commune VI within the Bamako district.
*The International Development Association (IDA) is a vital arm of the World Bank dedicated to assisting the world’s poorest nations. Established in 1960, IDA provides grants and highly concessional loans to fund projects and programs aimed at catalyzing economic growth, alleviating poverty, and improving the lives of the most disadvantaged. IDA stands as one of the largest financiers for 76 of the globe’s poorest countries, with 39 located in Africa. IDA’s resources have positively impacted the lives of 1.6 billion people. Since its inception, IDA has supported development activities in 113 countries, with annual commitments averaging $21 billion over the past three years, approximately 61% of which is directed towards Africa.
