Repurposed World Bank loan to be used to develop contact tracing and monitoring spread of coronavirus

Kyiv, 23 April 2021 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will provide Ukraine with technical assistance worth around UAH 25 million (U.S. $870,000) to overcome the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

The agreement, officially signed between the Ministry of Health and UNDP, on 21 April, is to be in effect until 2024.

UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine Dafina Gercheva said that the key objectives of the initiative are to support the Government of Ukraine with its operational and policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening the institutional capacities for crisis management and efficient healthcare crisis communication.

“These activities will reduce inequalities and social exclusion resulting from COVID-19, promote effective and inclusive health governance, and support the resilience and sustainability of the Ukrainian health system,” Gercheva said.

The funds, which have been made available through the repurposing of a World Bank loan, are to be spent on four main areas:

1. Involving patients’ organizations and the private sector in disseminating information on the prevention of COVID-19 and in counselling populations with limited access to information and/or vulnerable groups;

2. Developing an IT solution for COVID-19 contact tracing;

3. Developing an information and analytical module on operational monitoring, forecasting and responding to the spread of COVID-19 in Ukraine;

4. Developing a learning module for the management of COVID-19-contaminated waste for medical professionals, and conducting training sessions for the people involved in handling the waste.

Deputy Minister of Health Svitlana Shatalova stressed that international support during the global pandemic is extremely important for Ukrainians.

"We are pleased that there will be additional opportunities and tools to overcome COVID-19,” Shatalova said. “UNDP is known, in particular, for its high expertise in the field of IT solutions, which is based on extensive international experience. I believe that the best world practices will be implemented in Ukraine."

Since 2015, UNDP in Ukraine has been supporting the implementation of health reform in Ukraine through enhancing the efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of the national healthcare procurement system, empowering civil society actors, and enhancing the capacity of public institutions.

Media Enquiries

Yuliia Samus, UNDP Communications Team Leader, yuliia.samus@undp.org