Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct.11 / Trend N. Ismayilova /
A mission headed by the World Bank's senior specialist on health Patricio Marquez will arrive in Baku to review the project on reforming the health system in Azerbaijan, the World Bank Baku Office said today.
The mission will stay in the country from Oct.13 to 20.
The project on reforming the health system in Azerbaijan has four main components:
- Strengthening the management capacity of the Ministry of Health, sectoral policy, planning and regulation policies;
- Improving the quality and efficiency of health services in five pilot regions, which includes the modification of primary-level services at the regional level and construction of three regional hospitals, enhancing communication between primary and secondary levels of health introduced in these regions;
- Reform of health financing, gradual transition to the principles of compulsory medical insurance;
- Improving human capacity, including a certification program for medical staff.
The project is approved by the Board of Directors of the World Bank June 29, 2006, and its implementation began in December of 2006. The total project cost is $ 86.75 million, $ 50 million of which allocated by the WB, and the the Azerbaijani Government's share in the project is $28.25 million. The remaining funds are allocated by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and USAID.
This is the second project to reform health, financed by the World Bank. WB's first loan hit $ 5 million. Implementation of the first project was completed in September 2006.
Azerbaijan is a member of the World Bank since 1992.