WASHINGTON (WB press service) – The World Bank’s Board of Directors approved a US $93 mln Additional Financing from the International Development Association (IDA) for Uzbekistan’s Health System Improvement Project (HSIP). The proposed Additional Financing (AF) would support the scaling up of some of the activities that already constitute the original project which aims at modernizing the health care delivery system.

The project would provide more accessible quality and sustainable health services to the population. The original project currently covers six out of thirteen regions of Uzbekistan as well as Tashkent City. The proposed AF would cover the health facilities in the remaining seven regions of Uzbekistan as well as selected City Medical Unions.

“The project will assist Uzbekistan in scaling up major public health action through deepening ongoing health sector reforms,” said Takuya Kamata, World Bank Country Manager for Uzbekistan. “The proposed project is consistent with the current Country Partnership Strategy for fiscal years 2012-2015. It will address in a more systemic way the provision of quality hospital services to the country’s population and contribute to reforming the way those services are organized and are paid for”.

The Additional Financing will scale-up the following components of the original project:

• Improving Health Service Delivery focusing on hospital services improvement, primary health care development, and clinical quality enhancement;
• Strengthening Health Financing and Management Reforms focusing on per capita based Primary Health Care financing, hospital payment system reforms at district level and Health Financing Information System;
• Institutional Strengthening for NCD Prevention & Control.

Uzbekistan joined the World Bank in 1992. The World Bank’s mission in the country is to improve people’s livelihoods through being a partner in economic reforms, supporting the modernization of the country’s social sectors and infrastructure, and sharing its knowledge and experience with the government and the people of Uzbekistan.

Total current World Bank commitments to Uzbekistan amount to US $987.5 mln, including this additional financing operation.