World Bank to provide additional $135 mln for Ukraine health care

The World Bank has approved an additional loan of $135 million to support reforms in Ukraine's health care system, of which $35 million will be used to fight the novel coronavirus, the bank's Ukrainian representative office said on Tuesday. Since 2015, the World Bank has provided about $215 million to improve the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and cancer in eight out of 25 regions in Ukraine.

"This additional financing will help Ukraine upgrade up to 40 hospital emergency departments and stroke units, enabling hospitals to perform complicated medical procedures using hi-tech equipment and appropriate treatment protocols," said Alex Kremer, World Bank Acting Country Director for Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine. As of April 28, 9,410 cases of coronavirus infection, including 239 deaths have been confirmed in Ukraine.