FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

The World Bank
Europe and Central Asia Region

News Release No. 2001/035/ECA	Contact: Gina Ciagne (202) 458-4166
Email: Gciagne@worldbank.org 	

Světová banka podpořila zdravotnický investiční fond v Moldávii
Washington, 22. srpna 2000 – Světová banka dnes schválila půjčku Moldávii ve výši odpovídající 10 milionům USD na projekt zdravotnického investičního fondu, jehož cílem je zlepšení zdravotního stavu moldavského obyvatelstva a zvýšení kvality a efektivity veřejného zdravotního sektoru skrze usnadnění přístupu k základní službám pro chudší skupiny obyvatel.	

WORLD BANK SUPPORTS HEALTH INVESTMENT 
FUND IN MOLDOVA 

	WASHINGTON, August 22, 2000The World Bank approved today a US$10 million equivalent credit for a Health Investment Fund Project in Moldova, which aims to improve the health status of the Moldovan population, and to increase the quality and efficiency of the public health sector by improving access to essential services to the poor.  The project will also include support to strategic work aimed at controlling the Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS epidemics. 

	The government of Moldova and the Bank have been working together on a comprehensive program for health sector reform.  The policy content of this health reform program would be required for disbursements of the Health Investment Fund and will also be supported under a parallel Public Sector Reform adjustment operation (PSRC).  The PSRC would support capacity building as well as severance payments for health sector staff to be dismissed. 

	The Health Investment Fund Project includes the following components:

•	Policy Development and Institutional Strengthening of the Ministry of Health.  This component will include financing the development of health reform strategy, key policies and respective legislation, a public communications campaign and other communication activities, and a management and technical training program.  This component will also finance office, educational, and clinical equipment and supplies, local and foreign training, study tours, and local and foreign technical assistance.  

•	Health Investment Fund.  This component will establish the Health Investment Fund, the primary aim of which will be to sponsor change through demonstration of improvements in access, quality, and efficiency of health care services at all levels of the system.  The Fund will create a competitive mechanism to allocate resources among the Municipality of Chisinau and Judet Health Authorities and, to a lesser extent, hospitals.  This component includes two sub-components: emergency and primary health care and hospital refurbishment.  

•	Project Management and Evaluation.  This component will finance project management, including procurement and financial management, and project evaluation. 

The total cost of the project is US$20 million, which includes the contribution of the governments of Moldova and the Netherlands as that of other co-financiers.  Since Moldova joined the World Bank in 1992, commitments to the country total approximately US$394 million for 14 projects. 

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