PRINT

Türkiye: COVID-19 Vaccine Project under the COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility

SUMMARY

STATUS
Approved
MEMBER
Türkiye
SECTOR
CRF-Public Health
E&S CATEGORY
Category B
PROJECT NUMBER
000640

FINANCING

APPROVED FUNDING
USD250 million
FINANCING TYPE
Sovereign

TIMELINE

CONCEPT REVIEW
April 20, 2022
APPRAISAL REVIEW/FINAL REVIEW
June 1, 2022
FINANCING APPROVAL
June 29, 2022
LATEST FIELD VISIT
June 2022

OBJECTIVE

To enable affordable and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines in Türkiye and to help ensure effective vaccine deployment by strengthening the vaccination system.

DESCRIPTION

The proposed loan will be financed under the AIIB’s COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility in the amount of EUR225.347 million. AIIB will co-finance the World Bank (WB)’s Additional Financing (the Project) of the Türkiye Emergency COVID-19 Health Project (USD100 million, approved in April 2020).

The Project comprises the vaccine procurement and vaccine awareness and communication activities. AIIB will finance the same activities as the WB on a pro rata basis. The implementation period is expected from July 2022 to December 2023.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INFORMATION

The loan is co-financed with the WB as lead co-financier, and therefore the project’s environmental and social (ES) risks and impacts have been assessed in accordance with the WB’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and the ES Standards under ESF. To ensure a harmonized approach to addressing the ES risks and impacts of the project, and as permitted under AIIB’s Environmental and Social Policy (ESP), the WB ESF will apply to the project in lieu of AIIB’s ESP. AIIB has reviewed the WB’s ESF and is satisfied that: (a) it is consistent with AIIB’s Articles of Agreement and materially consistent with the provisions of AIIB’s ESP, including the Environmental and Social Exclusion List and the relevant ES Standards; and (b) the monitoring procedures in place are appropriate for the project.

The WB has categorized the ES risks of the project as “Substantial” (which is equivalent to Category B if AIIB’s ESP were applicable). The Ministry of Health (MoH) has prepared the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) for the parent Project and has updated them for the proposed Project. The updated ESMF covers all activities, as well as procedures for the screening and the identification of environmental and social risks and mitigation measures to be implemented in relation to the COVID-19 vaccine procurement and deployment, which include ensuring effective on-site medical waste management, storage, transportation, and disposal schemes. Mitigation measures will be based on the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 response technical guidance on limiting viral contagion in healthcare facilities, the World Bank Group Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines, respective national regulations and other good international industry practices. The ESMF includes an Infection and Prevention Control Protocol for Healthcare Settings and Waste Management Plan for Hospitals, which describe in detail appropriate waste management practices applicable.

The updated SEP covers identified primary stakeholders for all activities and integrates elements of the Government communication plan to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The SEP will continue to be a key instrument for community outreach on issues related to social distancing, higher risk demographics, and quarantine measures. Since the Project includes all provinces in Türkiye, existing national grievance mechanisms that are already in use will be integrated to newly established Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM). The GRM also allows workers to promptly inform management of labor issues, such as a lack of personal protective equipment, unreasonable overtime, stress and any Sexual Exploitation and Abuse/Sexual Harassment related issues in the workplace. This workers’ GRM allows for anonymous grievances and has an appeal's process in place. Responsible party for the maintenance and monitoring of the GRM will be MoH through its Project Management and Support Unit.

The ES instruments including the ES Commitment Plan, ESMF (including the Labor Management Procedures) and SEP have been disclosed by the MoH in April 2022.

The Project implementation will conduct appropriate stakeholder engagement, proper awareness-raising on COVID-19 prevention and control and vaccine access, and timely information dissemination. WB will conduct regular project implementation monitoring and the ES monitoring reports will be shared with AIIB. AIIB will join WB’s meetings and missions virtually, and in person when and where possible.

PROJECT TEAM LEADER

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

Zhaojing Mu

Senior Operations Management Officer

zhaojing.mu@aiib.org

 

World Bank

Nadwa Rafeh

Senior Health Specialist

nrafeh@worldbank.org

BORROWER

Sedef Aydaş

Head of Department
Ministry of Treasury and Finance

sedef.aydas@hmb.gov.tr

IMPLEMENTING ENTITY

Zahide Şenalp

Director
Project Management Support Unit, Ministry of Health

zahide.senalp@saglik.gov.tr

Home Projects Project Summary Project List Project Details Türkiye: COVID-19 Vaccine Project under the COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility