The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Moldova Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173776) Moldova Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173776) EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA | Moldova | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing (IPF) | FY 2020 | Seq No: 10 | Archived on 21-Feb-2025 | ISR02007 Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Health 1. OBJECTIVE 1.1 Development Objective Original Development Objective (Approved as part of Approval package on 24-Apr-2020) The objectives of the Project are to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in Republic of Moldova. Has the Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? Yes Current Development Objective (Approved as part of Additional Financing package Seq. 2 on 23-Apr-2021) The objectives of the Project are to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in Republic of Moldova. 2. COMPONENTS Name Emergency COVID-19 Response:(Cost 90,780,000.00) Implementation Management and Monitoring and Evaluation:(Cost 600,000.00) 3. OVERALL RATINGS Name Previous Current Progress towards achievement of PDO Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Substantial Substantial Feb 21, 2025 Page 1 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Moldova Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173776) 4. KEY ISSUES & STATUS 4.1 Implementation Status and Key Decisions The Moldova Emergency COVID-19 Response Project was declared effective on April 24, 2020, with the objective of preventing, detecting, and responding to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthen national systems for public health preparedness. This Project was part of a World Bank Multi-Phase Programmatic Approach to support countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Project closed on September 30, 2024. Progress towards the achievement of the PDO and implementation progress are rated Satisfactory based on the achievement status of the PDO-level and intermediate results indicators (IRIs). All four PDO-level indicators and 15 IRIs, as well as two performance-based conditions (PBCs), had been overachieved or fully met. Throughout Project implementation, the PDO remained highly relevant, as the combination of health and social protection measures enabled the Project to support Moldova’s COVID-19 pandemic response comprehensively. 4.2 MPA Program Development Objective Original MPA Program Development Objective (Approved as part of (Seq. ) package on ) Current MPA Program Development Objective (Approved as part of (Seq. ) package on ) 4.3 Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) Status (Public Disclosure) Good progress continues to be made under the SPRP Program, including under the MPA. While disbursements were being affected over two months ago under the MPA by low disbursements in seven countries, implementation accelerated in five of them and undisbursed funds in another (Nigeria) were cancelled prior to closing. Only one country, Bangladesh, remains low at 60% disbursements. Since the Bangladesh operation is closing on December 31, 2024, a substantive amount of undisbursed balance is likely to be cancelled. Disbursements have also been affected by: (i) the processing of refunds to the project accounts, which in the past months has increased at this late stage of project implementation, and (ii) fluctuations between the SDRs and Euros against the US dollar for operations denominated in SDRs and Euros. In addition, disbursements have been affected by the pausing of disbursements in Afghanistan and Myanmar. In terms of Afghanistan, the parent project of $100.4 million will close on June 30, 2025 (as of today, only $77.66 million has been disbursed). In terms of Myanmar, which closed in August 2023, there is an undisbursed balance of over $42 million, which is in the process of being canceled. Delay in the cancellation has been a result of an exchange rate loss issue which has now been resolved. However, the undisbursed funds are still to be cancelled. As of November 16, 2024, 88 MPA-projects were approved with a total commitment of US$4.16 billion (the overall commitment has been reduced from $4.25 to $4.16 in the past months due to partial cancellations processed prior/at project closing). One operation (Guatemala) was cancelled in mid-September 2021. Overall disbursements under the MPA are $4,020 million or 97% of commitments. This amount does not include disbursements under MPA-V operations Feb 21, 2025 Page 2 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Moldova Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173776) which are reported together with AF-V operations or disbursements under PEF grants as commitments do not include PEF Grants. Fifty-eight operations closed by June 30, 2024. Twenty operations are scheduled to close by the end of CY24. However, this number is likely to change as a couple of extensions are being processed. There are at the moment 19 operations with closing dates -- June-December 2025. As with the Mid Term Review (MTR) issued on March 25, 2023, no individual ICR is required for COVID-19 MPA operations. Only one Global ICR will be prepared upon completion of the SPRP COVID-19 MPA Program, which closes on December 31, 2025. The Global ICR will be informed by final ISRs packages prepared by country operations’ teams. A template for the final ISR package was issued by OPCS on March 21, 2023. Final ISR packages include a Summary Project Assessment – Annex 1 and a Borrower’s Evaluation – Annex 2, which is optional. So far, thirty-nine (39) final ISR packages have been prepared; some others are under preparation. The overall conclusion of the MPA 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.“ As of November 16, 2024, sixty-six (66) operations or 76% of projects approved are fully disbursed, four have reached 98- 99%, and nine have reached 92-97. All MPA projects in AFW, ECA, and MNA are fully disbursed. Disbursements for the other four regions are: (i) LAC 98%, (ii) SAR 95%, (iii) EAP 89%, and (iv) AFE 86%. Disbursements in EAP are being affected by the large amount to be cancelled under the Myanmar operation while in AFE, disbursements are being affected by relatively low disbursements in two countries. However, disbursements in AFE are expected to accelerate in the two countries as high value contracts are being implemented. The projects are benefitting about 4.01 billion people or 50 percent of the global population. When countries with AF-V operations are counted, the projects are benefitting about 4.26 billion or 54 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. Retroactive Financing (RF) continues to represent 20 percent of commitments. SAR has the highest percentage of RF at 38 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 are supporting vaccine procurement and deployment efforts. 5. SYSTEMATIC OPERATIONS RISK-RATING TOOL Rating at Approval Last Approved Rating Risk Category Approval Package - ISR Seq. 09 - 18 Apr Proposed Rating 24 Apr 2020 2024 Feb 21, 2025 Page 3 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Moldova Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173776) Political and Governance Substantial Moderate Moderate Macroeconomic High Substantial Substantial 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 Overall Substantial Substantial Substantial Feb 21, 2025 Page 4 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Moldova Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173776) 6. RESULTS 6.1 PDO Indicators by PDO Outcomes To prevent, detect, and respond to the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) Closing Period Indicator Name Value Month/Year Value Date Value Date Value Month/Year Number of designated 0.00 Apr/2020 21.00 22-Mar-2024 22 30-Sep-2024 19.00 Apr/2023 hospitals with fully equipped Comments on Overachieved. According to the draft Audit Report on financial statements ended at and functional intensive care achieving targets September 30, 2024, designated hospitals with fully equipped and functional intensive care units (ICUs). (Number) units - 22 in number. Percentage of designated 0.00 Apr/2020 90.00 21-Mar-2022 90.00 21-Mar-2022 80.00 Apr/2023 hospitals with personal Comments on This indicator was achieved in 2022. protection equipment and achieving targets infection control products and supplies (Percentage) Number of people tested for 8,149.00 Apr/2020 3,062,136.00 10-Mar-2022 3,062,136.00 10-Mar-2022 250,000.00 Apr/2023 coronavirus identification Comments on This indicator was achieved in 2022. (Number) achieving targets Number of Ajutor Social 47,569.00 Apr/2020 71,802.00 09-Mar-2021 71,802.00 09-Mar-2021 65,000.00 Apr/2023 recipients during the Comments on This indicator was achieved in 2022. emergency period achieving targets (Number) 6.2 Intermediate Results Indicators by Components Emergency COVID-19 Response Feb 21, 2025 Page 5 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Moldova Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173776) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) Closing Period Indicator Name Value Month/Year Value Date Value Date Value Month/Year 0.00 Apr/2020 292.00 21-Mar-2022 292.00 21-Mar-2022 292.00 Apr/2023 Number of ventilators Comments on This indicator was achieved in 2022. purchased (Number) achieving targets Number of personal 0.00 Apr/2020 500,000.00 03-Aug-2022 500,000.00 03-Aug-2022 500,000.00 Aug/2022 protection equipment (PPE) Comments on This indicator was achieved in 2022. purchased. (Number) achieving targets Number of designated 0.00 Apr/2020 5.00 21-Mar-2022 5.00 21-Mar-2022 4.00 Apr/2023 laboratories with COVID-19 Comments on This indicator was achieved in 2022. diagnostic equipment, test achieving targets kits, and reagents per MoHLSP guidelines. (Number) Number of activities in 0.00 Apr/2020 20.00 11-Aug-2021 20.00 11-Aug-2021 10.00 Apr/2023 National Communications Comments on This indicator was achieved in 2022. Strategy for COVID-19 achieving targets implemented (Number) 47,659.00 Apr/2020 54,231.00 22-Mar-2021 54,231.00 22-Mar-2021 53,000.00 Apr/2023 Number of Ajutor Social Comments on This indicator was achieved in 2022. recipients (Number) achieving targets MDL Apr/2020 MDL 22-Mar-2021 MDL 22-Mar-2021 MDL Apr/2023 Budget Allocation for Ajutor 495,461,700 708,749,800 708,749,800 697,361,700 Social Program (Text) Comments on This indicator is expected to be achieved in 2023. achieving targets MDL 828 Apr/2020 MDL 1079 22-Mar-2021 MDL 1079 22-Mar-2021 MDL 1099 Apr/2023 Average Ajutor Social benefit Comments on This indicator was achieved in 2022. amount (Text) achieving targets Feb 21, 2025 Page 6 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Moldova Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173776) Percentage of hospitals (i) 0.00 Oct/2020 78.69 21-Mar-2022 78.69 21-Mar-2022 25.00 Apr/2023 establishing approved citizen Comments on This indicator was achieved. engagement platforms (in- achieving targets facilities or online), (ii) responding to citizen views (in-facilities or online), and (iii) reporting (Percentage) Review of the VIRAT-VRAF No Feb/2021 Yes 22-Mar-2024 Yes 22-Mar-2024 Yes Sep/2024 2.0 or updated tool, Comments on This indicator was achieved in 2022. completed (Text) achieving targets Implementation Management and Monitoring and Evaluation Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) Closing Period Indicator Name Value Month/Year Value Date Value Date Value Month/Year Percentage of individuals (a) 31%(b) 31% Feb/2021 (a) 57%(b) 57% 11-Aug-2021 (a) 57%(b) 57% 11-Aug-2021 (a) 70%(b) 70% Apr/2023 that will accept a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine: (a) Males; and (b) Females (Text) Percentage of applicants that (a) 30% (b) Feb/2021 (a) 30% (b) 15-Feb-2021 (a) 30% (b) 15-Feb-2021 (a) 30% (b) Apr/2023 have benefited from the 70% 70% 70% 70% Ajutor Social Program that are: (a) Males; and (b) Females (Text) Average monthly benefit (a) MDL 708 Feb/2021 (a) MDL 958 30-Nov-2023 (a) MDL 958 30-Nov-2023 (a) MDL 800 Apr/2023 received by applicants to the (b) MDL 874 (b) MDL 1924 (b) MDL 1924 (b) MDL 1000 Ajutor Social Program: (a) Comments on This indicator was achieved. Males; and (b) Females achieving targets (Text) 0.00 Feb/2021 100.00 30-Nov-2023 100.00 30-Nov-2023 100.00 Sep/2024 Feb 21, 2025 Page 7 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Moldova Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173776) Percentage of workers Comments on Achieved. All signed civil works contracts workers were trained associated with the Project achieving targets who have participated in an information session on the code of conduct (Percentage) 0.00 Aug/2022 0.00 22-Mar-2024 15 30-Sep-2024 3.00 Sep/2024 Comments on The construction of one warehouse has been moved to be completed under the Number of public health achieving targets Modernization and Improvement of Rehabilitation Services Project. Two warehouses are in warehouses built or rehabilitated (Number) the process of refurbishment, and two regional public health centers are undergoing renovation. Number of public health 0.00 Aug/2022 1.00 22-Mar-2024 6 30-Sep-2024 6.00 Sep/2024 centers renovated Comments on The renovation of five public health centers is expected to complete by August 2024. (Number) achieving targets Feb 21, 2025 Page 8 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Moldova Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173776) 7. DATA ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE 7.1 Cumulative Disbursements 7.2 Disbursements (by loan) Loan/Credit/TF Status Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed TF-B4344 Closed 3.48 3.48 0.00 3.48 0.00 100.00 % IDA-66320 Closed 57.90 58.01 0.00 62.35 0.00 100.00 % IDA-68730 Closed 30.00 25.80 0.00 26.76 0.18 99.33% 7.3 Key Dates (by loan) Feb 21, 2025 Page 9 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Moldova Emergency COVID-19 Response Project (P173776) Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Signing Effectiveness Orig. Closing Rev. Closing IDA-66320 Closed 24-Apr-2020 28-Apr-2020 28-May-2020 30-Apr-2022 31-Mar-2024 IDA-68730 Closed 23-Apr-2021 09-Aug-2021 04-Feb-2022 30-Apr-2023 30-Sep-2024 TF-B4344 Closed 23-Dec-2020 23-Dec-2020 23-Dec-2020 31-Jan-2021 31-Jan-2021 8. KEY DATES Key Events Planned Actual Approval 24-Apr-2020 24-Apr-2020 Effectiveness 30-Apr-2020 28-May-2020 Mid-Term Review No. 01 23-Feb-2022 23-Feb-2022 Operation Closing/Cancellation 30-Sep-2024 30-Sep-2024 9. RESTRUCTURING HISTORY Restructuring Level 2 Approved on 04-Aug-2022 Restructuring Level 2 Approved on 31-Jan-2024 10. ASSOCIATED OPERATION(S) There are no associated operations Feb 21, 2025 Page 10 of 10