The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report
Serbia Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173892)
Serbia Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173892)
EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA | Serbia | Health, Nutrition & Population Global Practice |
IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2020 | Seq No: 7 | ARCHIVED on 27-Nov-2023 | ISR58702 |
Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Health, Republic of Serbia
Key Dates
Key Project Dates
Bank Approval Date: 26-May-2020 Effectiveness Date: 10-Dec-2020
Planned Mid Term Review Date: 17-May-2022 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: 14-Mar-2022
Original Closing Date: 31-May-2022 Revised Closing Date: 30-Jun-2025
pdoTable
Project Development Objectives
Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document)
The Project Development Objective is to respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and to strengthen the national health system for public health
preparedness in Serbia.
Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective?
No
Components Table
Name
Component 1: Emergency COVID-19 Response:(Cost $98.03 M)
Component 2: Implementation Management and Monitoring and Evaluation:(Cost $1.97 M)
Overall Ratings
Name Previous Rating Current Rating
Progress towards achievement of PDO Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory
Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory
Overall Risk Rating Substantial Substantial
Implementation Status and Key Decisions
The progress in project implementation and the likelihood of achieving the project’s development objectives remain moderately
satisfactory. Of the five key results towards achieving the development objectives, the following four have achieved their end-of-project targets: (i)
isolation capacity has been strengthened in 50 acute health care facilities (target: 36); (ii) the Government of Serbia adopted personal and
community non-pharmaceutical interventions (target: Yes); (iii) capacity for providing emergency medical care has been improved in 65 percent of
primary health care centers (target: 50%); and (iv) there are six designated laboratories with COVID-19 diagnostic equipment, test kits and reagents
(target: 5). The remaining indicator (laboratory capacity strengthening related to dealing with pathogens requiring Bio Safety Level 3 (BSL-3)) is on
track to be achieved by the Project closing date of June 30, 2025. Out of 11 intermediate results indicators, nine have achieved their end-of-project
target values, while remaining two (platform for citizen engagement and establishing a BSL-3 laboratory) are on track to be achieved by the Project
closing date.
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The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report
Serbia Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173892)
MPA Program Development Objective
MPA PDO Table
The Program Development Objective is to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthen national systems for public
health preparedness
MPA Table
Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) Status
MPA Table Body
Sustained efforts continue to be made to advance the implementation of the 87 MPA operations. After a great deal of activity (restructurings and
disbursements) processed at the end of FY23 when several operations were restructured just before or on June 30, 2023, the past three months
have seen a slower period of disbursements. The overall level of disbursements is being affected by three main reasons: (i) low disbursements in six
countries, (ii) pausing of disbursements in two other countries – Afghanistan, and Myanmar, and (iii) processing of refunds to the project accounts at
this late stage of project implementation. In addition, (i) a large refund from the UN to the project account of the Myanmar operation was processed
in late March due to the inability to implement the project, and (ii) the amounts of Loans and Credits denominated in SDRs and Euros have been
affected because of fluctuations between the SDRs and Euros against the US dollar.
As of November 16, 2023, 88 MPA-projects had been approved with a total commitment of US$4.27 billion. One operation (Guatemala) was
cancelled in mid-September 2021, at the request of the Government. Total disbursements as of November 16, 2023, amount to US$3.97 billion
or 93% of overall commitments. This amount does not include disbursements under MPA-V operations which are reported together with AF-V
operations. Ten operations closed by the end of CY22 and nine operations closed on June 30, 2023. While there are thirteen (13) operations with
closing dates by the end of CY23, there are plans for some projects to process extensions so this number will change.
As with the Mid Term Review (MTR) issued on March 25, 2023, no individual COVID-19 MPA operation will need an ICR. Only one ICR will
be prepared upon completion of the SPRP COVID-19 MPA Program, which closes on December 31, 2025. The Global ICR will be based on final
ISRs packages prepared by country operations’ teams. A template for the final ISR was issued by OPCS on March 21, 2023. Several operations
have/are preparing final ISR packages. The overall conclusion of the MTR was that: (i) the COVID-19 MPA Program embodied a rapid,
innovative approach to new lending for human health response; (ii) the COVID-19 MPA has been successful, notwithstanding considerable
uncertainty and multiple constraints in the early stages of the pandemic; (iii) the Bank’s emergency response was remarkably swift in the most
vulnerable countries facing human capital losses and development setbacks; and (iv) notwithstanding the challenges, the MPA is on track to achieve
its PrDO, “prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthen national systems for public health preparedness.“
Seventy-three (73) country projects or 86 percent of projects approved have reached 70-100+ percent disbursement (reasons for >100%
disbursements relate to fluctuations between the Euro and the SDR against the US$). Out of the 73 operations, 63 operations or 86 percent have
disbursed 90+ percent of commitments. Out of the 73 operations, 49 operations or 67 percent are fully disbursed and ten (10) operations have
disbursed 95-99 percent of commitments. There are four operations with disbursements of 50 percent or less. Out of these four operations, one
operation has disbursed 35 percent (AFW), two operations in EAP have disbursed 46-48 percent and one operation in SAR has disbursed 49
percent. The projects are benefitting about 3.7 billion people or 50% of the global population. When countries with AF-V operations are
counted, the projects are benefitting about 4.1 billion of 51 percent of the global population. This is because some countries that do not have
a parent project have AF-V operations. All projects approved are disbursing. Operations in ECA and MNA are fully disbursed. In other regions,
disbursements have reached: (i) LAC 97 percent, (ii) SAR 95 percent, (iii) EAP 87 percent, (iv) AFW 85 percent, and (v) AFE 79
percent. Disbursements for EAP operations are being affected by low disbursements in three country projects that have disbursed between 46 and
56 percent. AFE lower disbursements compared to other regions are a result of low disbursements under two operations, which have disbursed 55-
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The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report
Serbia Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173892)
66 percent respectively. In the case of AFW low overall disbursements are a result of low disbursements under one operation (35
percent). Retroactive Financing (RF) represents 20 percent of commitments. SAR has the highest percentage of RF at 37 percent, followed by ECA
at 18 percent. Direct Payment (DP) disbursements represent 22 percent of commitments. EAP has the highest level of disbursements using DP –
80 percent, followed by AFW at 38 percent. IDA continues to represent 40 percent while IBRD represents 60 percent of disbursements.
Streamlined procedures, delegated approvals, coupled with flexible project design and intensified efforts by counterparts and Bank teams have
contributed to the progress. Implementation is being guided by Bank teams working in parallel with other health related projects, including Additional
Financing operations which have supported vaccine procurement and deployment efforts.
Risks
Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool
Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating
Political and Governance Moderate Moderate Moderate
Macroeconomic Substantial Moderate Moderate
Sector Strategies and Policies Moderate Moderate Moderate
Technical Design of Project or Program Moderate Moderate Moderate
Institutional Capacity for Implementation and
Moderate Moderate Moderate
Sustainability
Fiduciary Substantial Substantial Substantial
Environment and Social Substantial Substantial Substantial
Stakeholders Moderate Moderate Moderate
Other Moderate Moderate Moderate
Overall Substantial Substantial Substantial
Results
PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes
To respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 in Serbia
IN01366096
►Number of acute health care facilities with isolation capacity (Number, Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value 6.00 50.00 50.00 36.00
Date 01-Jan-2020 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 29-Apr-2022
IN01366098
►Personal and community non-pharmaceutical interventions adopted by the GOS (Yes/No, Custom)
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The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report
Serbia Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173892)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value No Yes Yes Yes
Date 01-Jan-2020 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 29-Apr-2022
Comments:
IN01366099
►National laboratory capacity strengthened for surveillance, detection and research related to pathogens requiring Bio Safety Level 3, such
as West Nile virus, SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV (Yes/No, Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value No No No Yes
Date 28-Jul-2022 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 31-Aug-2023
IN01366100
►Percentage of PHC centers with improved capacity for providing emergency medical care (Percentage, Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value 0.00 65.00 65.00 50.00
Date 28-Jul-2022 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 31-Aug-2023
To strengthen the national health system for public health preparedness in Serbia
IN01366097
►Number of designated laboratories with COVID-19 diagnostic equipment, test kits, and reagents (Number, Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value 0.00 6.00 6.00 5.00
Date 01-Jan-2020 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 29-Apr-2022
Intermediate Results Indicators by Components
Component 1: Emergency COVID-19 Response
IN01366102
►Proportion of health staff trained in infection prevention and control per MOH-approved protocols (Percentage, Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value 0.00 90.00 90.00 70.00
Date 01-Jan-2020 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 29-Apr-2022
IN01366104
►Number of designated laboratories with staff trained to conduct SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis (Number, Custom)
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The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report
Serbia Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173892)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value 0.00 6.00 6.00 5.00
Date 01-Jan-2020 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 29-Apr-2022
IN01366106
►Coordinated disease surveillance systems in place in the public health sector for COVID-19 laboratories (Yes/No, Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value No Yes Yes Yes
Date 01-Jan-2020 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 29-Apr-2022
IN01366107
►Physical distancing communication messages targeting vulnerable populations (Number, Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value 0.00 12.00 12.00 10.00
Date 01-Jan-2020 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 29-Apr-2022
IN01366108
►Number of CT scanners with average age <10 years per 1 million population (Number, Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value 7.00 15.00 15.00 13.00
Date 01-Jan-2020 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 29-Apr-2022
IN01366109
►Percentage of Primary Health Care Facilities with newly installed X-ray machines (Percentage, Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value 0.00 39.00 39.00 30.00
Date 01-Jan-2020 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 29-Apr-2022
IN01366110
►Number of laboratory(ies) upgraded to biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) (Number, Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00
Date 23-Apr-2021 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 31-May-2022
IN01366111
►Number of health care facilities with ICUs equipped with new beds supported by the Project (Number, Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
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The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report
Serbia Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173892)
Value 0.00 46.00 46.00 45.00
Date 26-May-2021 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 31-May-2022
Component 2: Implementation Management and Monitoring and Evaluation
IN01366101
►Percentage of health facilities (a) establishing a digital feedback platform, (b) utilizing it to actively obtain feedback from communities, and
(c) providing feedback from Govt. on actions taken (Percentage, Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 70.00
Date 01-Jan-2020 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 29-Apr-2022
A platform has been developed as an integral part of the MoH’s eHealth portal. The platform has the
ability to obtain feedback from communities on every PHC facility, as well as a built in function to facilitate
feedback loop from the facilities. However, at the moment, as the MoH is planning to overhaul the entire
Comments: eHealth portal, the CE platform is still on hold. The PCU is following up closely with the Digital Health
Sector (Department) of the MoH and discuss options for getting the platform functional as soon as
possible.
IN01366103
►Percentage of grievances successfully addressed (Percentage, Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 90.00
Date 23-Apr-2021 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 31-May-2022
IN01366105
►Percentage of vulnerable population/beneficiaries of government free meal program receiving COVID-19 hygiene kits (Percentage,
Custom)
Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target
Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 70.00
Date 23-Apr-2021 01-May-2023 13-Nov-2023 31-May-2022
Performance-Based Conditions
Data on Financial Performance
Disbursements (by loan)
Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed
P173892 IBRD-91200 Effective USD 100.00 100.00 0.00 81.79 16.04 84%
Key Dates (by loan)
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The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report
Serbia Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173892)
Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date
P173892 IBRD-91200 Effective 26-May-2020 29-May-2020 10-Dec-2020 31-May-2022 30-Jun-2025
Cumulative Disbursements
Restructuring History
Level 2 Approved on 03-Aug-2021 ,Level 2 Approved on 24-Feb-2022 ,Level 2 Approved on 04-Oct-2022 ,Level 2 Approved on 20-Jun-2023
Related Project(s)
There are no related projects.
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