Grants - The Times Of Central Asia

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Healthcare

Japan Provides Grant for Digital Diagnostics in Dushanbe

The Japanese government is continuing to expand its humanitarian cooperation with Tajikistan, with a renewed focus on strengthening the healthcare system and improving public access to medical services. On January 27, a grant agreement totaling $352,530 was signed under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) program. The GGP initiative supports the development of social infrastructure in partner countries by funding projects in healthcare, education, and local government. In this case, the grant will be used to supply Health Center No. 14 in Dushanbe’s Sino district, one of the capital’s most densely populated areas, with state-of-the-art diagnostic technology. The center will receive three modern Japanese-made digital fluorographs, which are expected to significantly improve the accuracy and speed of diagnoses, particularly for infectious diseases. The integration of this technology is intended to enhance both the quality and accessibility of healthcare services in the district, contributing to the broader strengthening of Dushanbe’s healthcare infrastructure. Japanese Ambassador Keiko Furuta emphasized the strategic nature of Japan’s cooperation with Tajikistan, referencing the first Central Asia + Japan Dialogue Summit held in Tokyo last December. The summit reaffirmed healthcare as one of the priority areas of regional collaboration. Japan has provided assistance to Tajikistan for over 30 years, dating back to the establishment of diplomatic relations. Through the GGP alone, 470 humanitarian projects, totaling $39.2 million, have been implemented across the country since 1996. These projects have largely supported local governments, healthcare and educational institutions, and international NGOs.

Heating

EBRD to Allocate $6 Million for Modernization of Dushanbe’s Heat Supply System

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will provide $6 million to Tajikistan for the implementation of the “Heat Supply in Dushanbe” project. The decision was approved by parliament on December 12. According to MP Nigina Sharifzoda, the financing will comprise a $3 million grant and a $3 million loan. The funds will be used to reconstruct and expand the capital’s central heating infrastructure. The project includes the modernization of Dushanbe’s heating networks, with the aim of ensuring reliable heat supply during the winter months. By 2028, over 500,000 residents are expected to benefit from stable heating services. This initiative is part of an ongoing program. The initial credit line has been in place since 2021, and the current stage was formalized as an additional credit agreement. The document was signed on October 6 between the Ministry of Finance, the Dushanbe mayor’s office, the state-owned Dushanbe Heat Network company, and the EBRD. First Deputy Minister of Finance Yusuf Majidi noted that the project is intended not only to modernize infrastructure but also to address long-standing systemic issues in the sector. Currently, more than 43% of Dushanbe’s residential buildings, schools, kindergartens, hospitals, and businesses are connected to centralized hot water supply. By the 2025-2026 heating season, an estimated 3,300 facilities are expected to be integrated into the system. Despite progress, challenges remain. Residents in several districts continue to report inadequate heating. A recent inspection by the Energy Supervision Agency revealed that in some heating stations, the temperature of the heat carrier was just 55°C, well below the standard 75°C. Separately, the EBRD, in partnership with the European Union, has announced another major initiative: the modernization of Tajikistan’s electricity distribution infrastructure, with €43 million allocated for the project.

Glacier Monitoring

ADB Approves $3M for Glacier Monitoring in Tajikistan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $3 million grant to enhance Tajikistan’s glacier monitoring and natural disaster warning capabilities. The initiative aims to reduce risks linked to accelerated snow and ice melt, particularly in the country’s mountainous regions, and improve public safety. The grant is financed by the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Sustainable Asia and the Pacific (JFSB), which is supported by the Government of Japan through the ADB. Ko Sakamoto, ADB’s Permanent Representative in Tajikistan, emphasized the project's importance for the country. “Glaciers and snow are important for water supply, agriculture, and hydropower, but their rapid melting caused by extreme weather events can trigger devastating floods, avalanches, and other disasters,” he said. Sakamoto noted that the initiative will provide Tajikistan with modern tools for forecasting and responding to climate-related threats. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2029, with most activities to be implemented in high-risk areas of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. The Hydrometeorological Agency has been designated as the project’s executive body. Among the key components is the creation of a unified digital data system to improve the accuracy and timeliness of glacier and snow cover monitoring. The system will enhance the collection, storage, and analysis of data critical for disaster risk assessment. To manage the new infrastructure, technical specialists from the Hydrometeorological Agency will receive training in modern monitoring and data management methods. The project also emphasizes the active inclusion of women in the training process, aligning with ADB’s commitment to inclusive development. Improving early warning systems is another central element of the initiative. Plans include updating disaster risk management strategies, strengthening coordination between local authorities and communities, and enhancing the clarity and timeliness of public alerts related to glacial and snowmelt hazards. Tajikistan joined the ADB in 1998. Since then, the partnership has supported a wide range of infrastructure and development projects, including the modernization of major highways, such as the Obigarm-Nurobod, Dushanbe-Bokhtar, Aini-Penjikent, Dushanbe-Tursunzade, and Vose-Khovaling corridors, as well as the restoration of irrigation systems, expansion of water supply networks, and construction of schools and hospitals.

Grants

World Bank Approves $50 Million Grant for Tajikistan’s Economic Reforms

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a $50 million grant to support Tajikistan’s reform agenda, aimed at fostering competition, improving market conditions for the private sector, and strengthening public sector service delivery. The financing, announced by the Bank’s press service, comes from the International Development Association (IDA), its fund for low-income countries. The First Competitive and Inclusive Tajikistan Development Policy Operation (DPO) aligns with the country’s National Development Strategy 2030. Its primary goal is to help implement key government policies for building a more competitive and equitable economy. “We are proud to support these ambitious reforms designed to unlock the country’s economic potential and deliver tangible benefits to Tajik citizens,” said Wei Winnie Wang, Acting Country Manager for the World Bank Group in Tajikistan. “Fostering a more competitive and open market environment helps create new opportunities for businesses and consumers alike.” The DPO targets several priority areas: Increasing competition and improving governance in telecommunications and the digital sector. Expanding air transport connectivity. Strengthening the legal framework for foreign investment. Enhancing transparency in subsidies and power sector financing. By making energy sector funding more transparent, the reforms aim to encourage greater private investment in renewable energy. Another focus is improving the policy, legal, and financial frameworks for the Benefit Sharing Program (BSP) under the Rogun Hydropower Plant (HPP) Project. The BSP will channel part of Rogun’s electricity sales revenue to support poor and vulnerable households, complementing existing social safety nets. Development Policy Operations are one of the World Bank’s key tools for supporting policy and institutional reforms that drive sustainable growth and poverty reduction. The Bank last approved a similar operation for Tajikistan in 2023. Currently, the World Bank finances 26 projects in the country totaling $1.9 billion, combining IDA grants and highly concessional credits. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, poverty reduction in Tajikistan remains gradual. According to the World Bank’s Poverty, Prosperity, and Planet Report 2024, more than 25% of the population lives on less than $3.65 per day, even after the extreme poverty threshold was revised from $2.15 to $3.00.

Vaccination

Meet the Kyrgyz Woman Behind the Vaccine Revolution

COVID-19 exposed numerous challenges humanity has yet to address, with one of them being directly related to tackling potential future pandemics. A key aspect of this is vaccines, which have to be transported in refrigerated units. This allows them to maintain their effectiveness and safety, the so-called "cold chain infrastructure" saving them from becoming unusable. This complex transportation requirement, however, results in millions of people missing out on potentially life-saving vaccines. But does it have to be this complicated? “Motherhood changes people, irreversibly. For me it was not just becoming a parent, but it also influenced the direction of my research,” Asel Sartbaeva wrote in her 2018 article, ‘Vaccines: The End of the Cold War?’ “When my daughter was only a few days old, I took her to the doctors to be vaccinated with the BCG vaccine (against tuberculosis). The doctor took the vaccine out of the fridge and administered it directly. That’s when I asked: ‘why must vaccines be refrigerated?’ and then the natural follow-up question, ‘can I help to make them stable at room temperatures?’” Born and raised in Kyrgyzstan, Asel Sartbaeva “currently wears several hats”, as her LinkedIn profile says. She is an award-winning interdisciplinary chemist, Reader in Chemistry (Associate Professor) at the University of Bath, and the first Central Asian to obtain a PhD from University of Cambridge. Sartbaeva is also the CEO and Co-Founder of EnsiliTech, a startup with a technology that allows vaccines and other biopharmaceuticals to be stored and transported at room temperature. EnsiliTech was launched in 2022 as a project at the University of Bath, and was built on over a decade of Sartbaeva’s research into ensilication – the technique of fitting vaccine components with a silica coat to stop them from spoiling outside of refrigerated temperatures. In December 2022, EnsiliTech successfully raised £1.2 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round led by Science Angel Syndicate and the Fink Family Office with co-investment from QantX, Elbow Beach Capital, angel investors and Innovate UK. In 2023, the startup won a £1.7 million grant from the British government’s Department of Health and Social Care to develop the first thermally stable mRNA vaccine in the world, to combat Hantavirus, which is found in Asia and South America. In the same year, the new startup attracted their first customer, a Global Top 10 animal vaccine company based in the EU, which paid EnsiliTech to thermally stabilise three of their vaccines. Currently, Ensilitech is planning to licence their ensilcation technology to several customers and internally developing thermally stable vaccines and antibodies. Along with her scientific and business goals, Sartbaeva is also passionate about the wider participation and girls and the women’s empowerment movement. “We need to show girls that science isn’t boring and is a great choice for girls who have a natural passion for science,” she says. In 2021, Sartbaeva became the ambassador for UNICEF’s Girls in Science programme, launched in 2020 to empower 500 girls from new settlements and rural areas so they could excel...