The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173828) Belarus Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173828) EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA | Belarus | Health, Nutrition & Population Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2020 | Seq No: 3 | ARCHIVED on 11-Oct-2021 | ISR48490 | Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Health of Belarus, Republic of Belarus Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 21-May-2020 Effectiveness Date: 05-Aug-2020 Planned Mid Term Review Date: -- Actual Mid-Term Review Date: Original Closing Date: 30-Jun-2022 Revised Closing Date: 30-Jun-2022 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) To prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthen national systems for public health preparedness in Belarus. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name Emergency COVID-19 Measures and Rapid Emergency Response:(Cost $99400000.00 M) Project Implementation and Monitoring:(Cost $600000.00 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 In the past six months, a significant amount of medical equipment has been supplied under the Project to 171 hospitals and laboratories. This includes 12 pieces of 128-slice computer tomograph, 200,064 medical test kits for the ELISA diagnostics, 220,000 medical test kits for the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) diagnostics, 90,000 express medical test kits, 45,000 pairs of shoes cover, 30 mobile X-ray units, 250,000 respirators, 750 high-tech intensive care beds, 1,030 oxygen concentrators, 10,000,000 medical gloves, 200,000 sets of consumables for automated ribonucleic acid (RNA) extraction, and other equipment. As a result, 150 intensive care units have been fully equipped and functional to manage severe cases of COVID-19. Since March 2021, the communication campaign has been more intensive than at the beginning of the year, with communication products produced and delivered to various target groups. The use of different communication channels, including television, outdoor advertising, print media, and the Internet, is also worth noting as well as the work of 200 hotlines to inform the population. Due to the beginning of the next wave of COVID-19 and the spread of the delta variant, it is important to strengthen the communication campaign in the fall of 2021, as well as to make efforts to ensure that the materials developed under the project reach the maximum number of target groups. To intensify the campaign, it is planned to strengthen interactions with media, including with local media in small towns, and conduct online events for media, with the plan to have over 400 articles 10/11/2021 Page 1 of 5 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173828) published in the press throughout Belarus. It is also planned to implement an information campaign for schoolchildren, materials on rehabilitation for people who have recovered from COVID etc. mpaTable Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) Status mpaTableBody The implementation of the MPA-funded projects continues to progress well. As of September 17, 2021, 87 MPA-projects have been approved providing a total commitment of US$4.2 billion. Disbursements during the past month have increased at a rapid pace. Forty-nine (49) country projects or 56% of projects approved have reached 70-100% disbursements. The projects benefit around 3.7 billion people or 50% of the global population. Of the 87 approved projects: (i) 33 are in Africa – 12 in AFE and 21 in AFW; (ii) 12 in East Asia; (iii) 14 in Europe and Central Asia; (iv) 12 in Latin America and the Caribbean; (v) 7 in Middle East and North Africa; and (vi) 9 in South Asia. Eighty-one (81) or 93% projects are disbursing. Total disbursements as of September 17, 2021, amount to $2,901.9 million or $2.9 billion or 69% of overall commitments. Streamlined procedures, delegated approval coupled with flexible project design and intensified efforts across the Bank have contributed to the progress. Several projects have/are being restructured to include vaccine related procurement. Implementation is being guided by Bank teams working in parallel in other health related projects, including Additional Financing operations supporting vaccine procurement and deployment efforts in countries. Implementation continues to face challenges as many countries are still under different levels of lockdown or mobility restrictions and counterparts and Bank teams are operating from home or partially from home. Also, countries are facing new waves of infections with the Delta variant spreading rapidly among populations. Most Bank teams continue to conduct implementation support missions virtually, which is challenging for both Bank teams and counterparts. This “virtual” world poses connectivity challenges as internet is not reliable in many countries, especially IDA countries. Notwithstanding challenges, the MPA is on track to achieving its PrDO – to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthen national systems for public health preparedness. The significant level of disbursements in just over 19 months attest to the strong implementation efforts of the Bank response thanks to the commitment of counterparts supported by Bank country teams. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance Substantial High High Macroeconomic Moderate Substantial Substantial Sector Strategies and Policies Moderate Substantial Substantial Technical Design of Project or Program Substantial Substantial Substantial Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Substantial Substantial Substantial Sustainability Fiduciary High High High Environment and Social Substantial Substantial Substantial Stakeholders Substantial Substantial Substantial Other -- Substantial Substantial Overall Substantial Substantial Substantial 10/11/2021 Page 2 of 5 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173828) Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes (i) Number of fully equipped and functional ICUs to manage severe cases of COVID-19 IN01046452 ►Number of fully equipped and functional ICUs to manage severe cases of COVID-19. (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 129.00 140.00 230.00 Date 26-Mar-2020 02-Mar-2021 28-Sep-2021 31-May-2022 Number of people tested for coronovirus identification IN01046453 ►Number of people tested for coronovirus identification (Number (Thousand), Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 296.00 4,587.00 8,414.00 600.00 Date 13-May-2020 02-Mar-2021 28-Sep-2021 31-May-2022 8,414,000 tests for coronovirus have been done in the country to date. The original end target was set in Comments: April 2020 when there was limited information about the virus and seasonal waves. Intermediate Results Indicators by Components Emergency COVID-19 Response IN01046455 ►Number of training in infection, prevention and control (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 50.00 62.00 70.00 Date 26-Mar-2020 02-Mar-2021 28-Sep-2021 31-May-2022 Comments: Cumulative number trainings conducted for health personnel to the COVID-19 reponse IN01046456 ►Number of designated laboratories with staff trained to conduct COVID-19 diagnostics (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 49.00 49.00 4.00 Date 26-Mar-2020 02-Mar-2021 28-Sep-2021 31-May-2022 The original end target was set in April 2020 when there was limited information about the virus and seasonal waves. Due to the spread of the virus, a wide network of laboratories with trained personnel was Comments: deployed. IN01046457 10/11/2021 Page 3 of 5 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173828) ►Number of public health messages developed and disseminated through media (internet, newspapers, TV, radio) public educational and health facilities (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 154.00 199.00 100.00 Date 26-Mar-2020 02-Mar-2021 28-Sep-2021 31-May-2022 Since the Project came into force, 199 messages on public health issues have been distributed in the Comments: mass media, state educational establishments, and health institutions. IN01046458 ►Number of designated laboratories with COVID-19 diagnostic equipment, test kits, and reagents (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 4.00 49.00 9.00 17.00 Date 26-Mar-2020 02-Mar-2021 28-Sep-2021 31-May-2022 Within the framework of the Project 9 laboratories have been equipped. At the moment a total of 50 state laboratories and 6 private laboratories operate in the country with equipment, test systems and reagents. The Actual (Previous) value has shown the labs equipped by the MoH only, as there were no labs Comments: equipped under the project at the time of reporting in April 2021. This was proposed by the client to present the progress in equipping designated COVID-19 labs in the country. IN01046459 ►Hotlines for public feedback are (a) designed and staffed; (b) launched and advertised; and (c) providing a two way channel of citizen feedback and government action. (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 23.00 200.00 6.00 Date 29-Mar-2021 02-Apr-2021 28-Sep-2021 30-Jun-2022 The hotline format has proven to be very effective for providing two-way communication on the topic of Comments: COVID, so the number of hotlines has been increased to more than 200 across the country. Project Implementation and Monitoring IN01046454 ►Activities completed per annual agreed workplan (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 26-Mar-2020 02-Mar-2021 28-Sep-2021 31-May-2022 Not all of the activities from the action plan were completed. Comments: Performance-Based Conditions Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) 10/11/2021 Page 4 of 5 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173828) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P173828 IBRD-91170 Effective USD 98.50 98.50 0.00 83.75 21.19 80% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P173828 IBRD-91170 Effective 21-May-2020 01-Jun-2020 05-Aug-2020 30-Jun-2022 30-Jun-2022 Cumulative Disbursements Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Project(s) There are no related projects. 10/11/2021 Page 5 of 5