Kyrgyz Republic Emergency COVID-19 Project - Additional Financing

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COMPONENT 1: EMERGENCY COVID-19 RESPONSE (US$ 31.48 million): This component supports the capacity of the Kyrgyz health system to detect, contain, manage, and treat COVID-19 disease. This component will also finance the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines, including vaccine acquisition, systems for vaccine delivery, and follow-up. Supported activities include:Sub-component 1.1 Case Detection, Containment, Confirmation, Recording, and Contact Tracing. The Project supports public health functions related to COVID-19: disease surveillance systems, public health laboratories, and epidemiological capacity for detection and confirmation of cases; active contact tracing; epidemiological investigation; risk assessment; and collection of on-time data and information for guiding decision-making and response and mitigation activities. The Project supports Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) in Bishkek and seven regions by procuring vehicles, equipment, and supplies. The Project also contributes to strengthening testing capacities in designated laboratories through repair works and centralized procurement of equipment and supplies. The Project also supports the strengthening of medical points in border points-of-entry with training, personal protective equipment (PPE), and updates to handwashing facilities, restrooms to a basic level. Sub-component 1.2. Health System Strengthening. The Project aims to contribute to strengthening of health system preparedness, improving the quality of medical care provided to COVID-19 patients, and minimizing the risks for health personnel and patients. These objectives will be achieved through the procurement of essential medical goods such as PPE, Intensity Care Unit (ICU) and non-ICU equipment and supplies for hospitals, medicines, and waste management equipment. The Project will also finance repairs and minor modifications in eleven designated hospitals. Eleven designated hospitals will undergo repairs and minor modifications, including the provision and/or repair of handwashing and hygiene facilities, upgrading electrical and plumbing work to safely connect and operate medical equipment, carrying out other emergency repairs to ensure patient and staff safety and infection prevention and control, and installation of additional doors and partitions to ensure proper isolation of COVID-19 patients. These funds will be advanced to hospitals through the Mandatory Health Insurance Fund (MHIF). Sub-component 1.3. Purchasing and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines. The AF will finance upfront technical assistance to support the Kyrgyz Republic to establish institutional frameworks for the safe and effective vaccine deployment. The AF will also support investments to bring immunization systems and service delivery capacity to the level required to deploy COVID-19 vaccines at scale successfully. The investments are geared towards overcoming bottlenecks identified in the COVID-19 vaccine readiness assessment. The AF will finance goods, consulting services, and non-consulting services needed for: (a) vaccine importing, such as vaccines, customs fees and customs handling services; (b) cold storage of vaccines; (c) transportation of vaccines and vaccination teams; (d) vaccination supplies; (e) training of health workers; (f) vaccine administration services; (g) security of the vaccine deployment chain; (h) infection control in vaccination sites; (i) safe disposal of medical waste generated by vaccination; (j) information systems needed to deploy and monitor vaccines; (k) call center operation; (l) communication services; (m) third-party monitoring of the vaccination effort.COMPONENT 2: IMPLEMENTATION MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING AND EVALUATION (M&E) (US$ 0.67 million). This component supports the capacity of the PIU, located at the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MoES), to coordinate activities with Ministry of Health and Social Development (MoHSD), MHIF, and other entities and manage the financial management and procurement functions of the Project. The PIU was strengthened by the recruitment of additional staff/consultants responsible for the overall administration, procurement, environmental and social safeguards, and financial management. This component also supports the M&E of Project implementation. The AF finances activities under sub-component 1.3 (vaccination) for US$ 19.5 million as well as under component 2 (US$ 0.5 million). The AF will not finance new activities under sub-component 1.1 or subcomponent 1.2.