Ukraine Receives USD 51.5 Million from the Government of Japan Under a World Bank Project THRIVE for Healthcare System Development

A USD 51.5 million tranche from the World Bank has been disbursed to the general fund of the State Budget of Ukraine. The funds were mobilized within the framework of the systemic project "Transforming Health Through Reform and Investments in Efficiency" (THRIVE).

The financing is provided by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) from the ADVANCE Ukraine trust fund, with the financial support of the Government of Japan. 

The THRIVE project is implemented using the Program-for-Results (PforR) model, where disbursements are directly tied to the achievement of defined Disbursement-Linked Indicators (DLIs). The receipt of the current USD 51.5 million tranche became possible due to the fulfillment of the indicator regarding the increase in the number of stroke cases treated in hospitals with a high level of thrombolysis application.

The total amount of the THRIVE Program is USD 1.2 billion, of which USD 449 million has been allocated to date.

The main goal of the project is to assist the Government of Ukraine in addressing challenges to ensure the effectiveness of the Program of Medical Guarantees (PMG). The initiative focuses on improving the prioritization of medical services, optimizing the healthcare provider network, deploying modern payment methods, and strengthening the institutional capacity of the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU).

To achieve this goal, the project envisages the fulfillment of ten key indicators (DLIs), which include:

• Standardizing the annual process of reviewing PMG service packages and improving the reliability of data in the eHealth system.

• Prioritizing primary healthcare (PHC) expenditures by increasing the capitation rate and expanding cost-effective services (in particular, the treatment of arterial hypertension).

• Scaling up selective contracting of hospitals and increasing the concentration of inpatient services.

• Improving the use of strategic purchasing by increasing the share of hospital costs reimbursed on a capitation basis.

• Expanding the use of solar energy in the healthcare sector.

• Strengthening the autonomy and governance of the NHSU by changing the legal status of the organization and introducing new oversight mechanisms.

The main executor of the project, responsible for its implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, is the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. The implementation period of the initiative will last until March 30, 2028.