ASTANA (TCA) — The World Bank Board of Directors has approved a US $80 million loan for the Social Health Insurance Project aimed at improving accessibility, quality, and efficiency of health service delivery in Kazakhstan as well as at reducing financial risks to the population caused by serious health problems.
“To guarantee access to and quality of needed services while providing protection against financial risks, it is necessary to ensure strengthening of capacity and expertise in the health financing systems,” said Francis Ato Brown, World Bank Country Manager for Kazakhstan. “Building on successful results under the Health Sector Technology Transfer and Institutional Reform Project, which has supported two consecutive health sector strategies covering 2005–2015, the new Project will help foster implementation of the new Health Strategy aimed at improving health of the people in the country.”
Sound results achieved under the previous joint Project of the World Bank and the Ministry of Health and Social Development will be reinforced to help further improve the quality of service delivery. The new standard procedures introduced in primary healthcare, including the adoption of medical protocols and piloting of disease management programs for some non-communicable diseases will help further improve evidence-based health care delivery.
To cover the costs of health services and protect population against financial risks, the Government of Kazakhstan plans introduction of Social Health Insurance to allow for broad consolidation of funds among the state, employers, and employees.
The Project will support implementation of the national mandatory Social Health Insurance system and further adjustments of the Unified National Health System. The Project design pays considerable attention to ensuring compliance with required contribution payments. It is expected that proper functioning of the Social Health Insurance system will create foundations for a financially sustainable system of mandatory social health insurance financed in a shared manner by all social partners. The Social Health Insurance system is expected to become fully operational by 2024.
The implementation of the five-year project (2017-2021) will start after the country approval process is completed.
The Project will be financed through a variable-spread $80 million IBRD loan, with a 15-year maturity period and a 5-year grace period, with $10 million in co-financing from the Government of Kazakhstan.
