The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors approved today $135 million in Additional Financing for the Serving People, Improving Health Project, to scale-up Ukraine's health sector response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ongoing Serving People, Improving Health Project provides assistance for renovation of urban hospitals and rural health posts, purchasing of modern equipment, and improvement in the quality of health services. The initial $215 million investment focused on supporting health reforms, improving services delivery (including primary and secondary prevention, early detection, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and cancer), as well as enhancing the efficiency of the health care system.
The additional $135 million will help Ukraine with important hospital upgrades and reforms, and also help train thousands of Ukrainian doctors in the provision of modern medical services. The project will also help fund people's medical needs, from the state budget, and provide $35 million for COVID-19 emergency response activities.
These funds will be used to buy essential materials and equipment for the country's COVID-19 response, provide much-needed training for medical personnel, and support communication of essential public information. It will also cover reimbursement of financing to Ukrainian providers of health care for COVID-19 patients.
"This additional financing will help Ukraine upgrade up to 40 hospital emergency departments and stroke units, enabling hospitals to perform complicated medical procedures using hi-tech equipment and appropriate treatment protocols. Patients will have an opportunity to choose any hospital in Ukraine, and their costs for surgical operations will be covered by the state budget," said Alex Kremer, World Bank Acting Country Director for Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine.
The World Bank Group, one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, is taking broad, fast action to help developing countries strengthen their pandemic response. We are increasing disease surveillance, improving public health interventions, and helping the private sector continue to operate and sustain jobs. Over the next 15 months, we will be deploying up to $160 billion in financial support to help countries protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery, including $50 billion of new IDA resources in grants or highly concessional terms.
