The state budget of Ukraine received $404.5 million from the World Bank with financial support from Japan. The funds were obtained within the THRIVE international project, aimed at reforming the healthcare system and increasing the accessibility of medical services.

The receipt of funds on October 28 was reported by Prime Minister of Ukraine Serhiy Koretskyi. Financing details were published by the Ministry of Finance.

Of the total amount, $304.5 million was attracted with financial support from the Government of Japan through the ADVANCE Ukraine trust fund. A further $100 million was provided as a loan from the International Development Association, part of the World Bank Group, under the SPUR program.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the entire tranche has already been credited to the general fund of the state budget. This concerns the actual receipt of financing, not just the approval of future assistance.

Ukraine received the funds for achieving certain indicators of the medical reform. The THRIVE project operates on a results-based financing principle: international partners provide tranches after established goals are met.

Among the indicators the fulfillment of which allowed receiving the new financing, the Ministry of Finance names:

  • an increase in the number of hypertensive patients receiving prescriptions from family doctors under the “Affordable Medicines” program;
  • growth in the number of childbirths and inpatient surgical operations in hospitals with a high volume of medical services;
  • an increase in the number of healthcare facilities reporting the availability of equipment for using solar energy;
  • expanding the use of payment to hospitals under diagnosis-related groups, taking into account the complexity of patient treatment;
  • an increase in the share of primary healthcare facilities receiving payment for achieving performance indicators.

The THRIVE program provides for improving the Medical Guarantees Program, developing the hospital network, introducing modern payment mechanisms for medical care, and strengthening the capacity of the National Health Service of Ukraine.

The main executor of the project is the Ministry of Health. At the same time, the received tranche went to the state budget, not directly to the accounts of healthcare institutions.

According to Serhiy Koretskyi, taking into account the new tranche, Ukraine has already received $701.7 million under THRIVE.

The total volume of financing under the program is $1.2 billion. Its implementation should help Ukraine increase the efficiency of public spending on healthcare, ensure accessibility of treatment, and improve the quality of medical services.