OREANDA-NEWS. On January 15, 2007 the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a US$ 117,7 million loan today for the Kazakhstan Health Sector Technology Transfer and Institutional Reform Project, reported the press-centre of World Bank.

The project will help introduce international standards and build long-term institutional capacity in the Ministry of Health and related healthcare institutions in support of key health sector reforms pursued by the Government of Kazakhstan.
 
For a country with rapidly increasing income, Kazakhstan’s health indicators could be improving more quickly. High rates of tuberculosis and high indicators of infant, child and adult mortality, cancer, tobacco and alcohol-related diseases represent major challenges to Kazakhstan’s current health system. Several reform programs have been attempted over the last 10 years but, until recently, have moved slowly.
 
The State Health Care Reform and Development Program adopted by Kazakhstan for 2005-2010 sets ambitious goals and a sensible reform path. To succeed, the reform will require more than simply building new facilities and buying modern equipment; equally important will be to enhance the level of technical and managerial expertise in Kazakhstan health sector, without which improvements in efficiency and quality of health care will not be possible. The Health Sector Technology Transfer and Institutional Reform Project was requested by the Government of Kazakhstan to help implement key aspects of the State Health Care Reform and Development Program by bringing international experience, expertise and standards to complex areas such as reforms in healthcare financing, healthcare quality improvement, medical education, and health information system.
 
“This project is not only necessary for the health sector but is also an important step forward in the Government’s overall program of public administration and public financial management reform,” said Sergei Shatalov, World Bank Country Manager for Kazakhstan. “Improving the health system in Kazakhstan is also essential to achieving the objective of becoming one of the 50 most competitive countries in the world. A better health system will improve competitiveness by reducing illness-related productivity losses and protecting people from the financial consequences of ill-health,” he added.
 
The Project has seven main components:
Health Financing and Management Component (US$ 20,2 million) will strengthen policy formulation, investment planning and management in the health sector through a combination of capacity building, evidence-based policy development and support for regulatory reform, and through introduction of international standards in investment and budget planning. This component will also finance large-scale training in healthcare management.

Health Care Quality Improvement Component (US$ 59,9 million) will help improve healthcare quality in Kazakhstan by:
supporting the development of an independent accreditation system with formal standards, trained staff, and trained assessors;
building capacity for the development and dissemination of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines;
financing the dissemination of such guidelines to practicing physicians in key medical specialties;
building capacity in evidence-based medicine and health technology assessment;
introducing and promoting a system of voluntary blood donorship; and
supporting the introduction of international standards for laboratory and blood transfusion systems.

Reform of Medical Education and Medical Science Component (US$ 9,4 million) will help upgrade medical education and medical science in Kazakhstan through twinning relationships and implementation of a five-year transformation agenda that addresses governance, financing, human resources and operational issues and promotes the adoption of internationally-recognized standards and practices.

Health Information System Development Component (US$ 188,6 million) will improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of health sector and healthcare facility management by introducing a world-class integrated health information system to three oblasts and one city over a 3-4 year period (remaining oblasts/cities are planned to receive the same system subsequently through a fully Government-funded scheme).

Pharmaceutical Policy Reform Component (US$ 4,2 million) will help improve the safety, efficiency, economy, quality, and affordability of pharmaceuticals in Kazakhstan by supporting reforms in pharmaceutical procurement, pricing, monitoring, information provision, benefit package design and quality control.

Food Safety and WTO Accession Component (US$ 8,7 million) will help improve food safety and Kazakhstan’s WTO accession efforts by introducing international sanitary and phytosanitary norms.

Project Management Component (US$ 4,6 million) will finance project management and monitoring and evaluation activities for the health sector.

The total Project cost is US$ 296,1 million, of which US$ 117,7 million is provided by the World Bank and US$ 178,4 million is co-financed by the Government of Kazakhstan. The World Bank loan supporting this Project has a maturity of 15 years, including a five-year grace period. The Ministry of Health is the agency responsible for the Project implementation which will be from 2008 to 2013.
 
Kazakhstan joined the World Bank in 1992. Since then, commitments to the country total more than US$ 2 billion for 31 projects.