The government of Tanzania announced on Monday that it has released 5.5 billion Tanzanian shillings (about 2.4 million U.S. dollars) to support 40,740 poor households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government has released the funds through the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) to support the affected poor households, mostly in cities and urban areas.

The released funds are part of 567.25 million U.S. dollars approved recently by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support the east African nation's efforts in responding to the pandemic by addressing the urgent health, humanitarian and economic costs.

Ladislaus Mwamanga, TASAF director general, told a press conference in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam that the COVID-19 pandemic forced majority of poor households, especially in urban areas, to use all their savings, sold what they had, including cattle, goats and other poultry products which were the source of their income.

He said the funds will help support TASAF's public works program in which the poor households will benefit by engaging in various projects within their areas and earn income.

"The households will also get direct grants in monthly payments which will be paid to them after every two months," said Mwamanga.