Türkiye: COVID-19 Medical Emergency Response (MER) Project

OBJECTIVE

To support the Government of Türkiye in strengthening its healthcare emergency response against the COVID-19 crisis in public hospitals across the country.

DESCRIPTION

The Project is proposed for financing under the COVID-19 CRF of the Bank and co-financing with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as lead co-financier.

The Project will have the following components:

Component 1- Strengthening National Health system for Emergency COVID-19 Response by upgrading designated pandemic hospitals in Istanbul and public hospitals across Türkiye through procurement of medical equipment (co-financed by AIIB and EBRD); and

Component 2-Project Management Support as well as Gender and Economic Inclusion (financed by EBRD only).

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INFORMATION

The Project will be co-financed with the EBRD as lead co-financier, and the Project’s environmental and social (ES) risks and impacts are being assessed in accordance with EBRD’s Environmental and Social Policy (EBRD’s ESP) and related Performance Requirements (PRs). To ensure a harmonized approach to addressing the ES risks and impacts, and as permitted under AIIB’s Environmental and Social Policy (AIIB’s ESP), the EBRD’s ESP Policy and relevant PRs will apply to the Project in lieu of AIIB’s ESP. AIIB has reviewed EBRD’s ESP and PRs and is satisfied that:

1. they are consistent with AIIB’s Articles of Agreement and materially consistent with the provisions of AIIB’s ESP (including AIIB’s Environmental and Social Standards);
2. the monitoring procedures that are in place are appropriate for the Project.

Under its ESP, EBRD has categorized this project as Category B. Key Environmental & Social (ES) risks and impacts to consider include: infection management, health and safety risks for patients, medical staff, laboratory staff and communities in due course of handling of tests, medical waste management and ES management of the Ministry of Health.

ES due diligence will be undertaken by the Bank's ES specialists and will include a review of the Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD) carried out recently by the EBRD as well as the World Bank for a similar project in Türkiye.

The ES documentation in English and summary in local language[s], as appropriate, has been disclosed by the MoH in its website on 16 April 2020 and in hard copies in the Project areas. This documentation has also been disclosed on EBRD’s website, and AIIB’s website will include links to the documentation on the MoH website and EBRD’s website.