The World Bank and UNICEF deliver 1.2 million COVID-19 PCR tests to Ukraine
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Kyiv, 27 January, 2021 – UNICEF has purchased and shipped 1.2 million COVID-19 PCR tests to Ukraine to support the Government’s efforts to address the pandemic in the country. The assistance became available due to the financial support from the World Bank in cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
The COVID-19 genesig Real-Time PCR tests are produced by Primerdesign Ltd in the United Kingdom. In accordance with the Ministry’s plan, the tests will be transferred to Ukrvaktsyna for further distribution across Ukraine.
The assistance, worth US$13.5 million in supplies and services, will provide state health care institutions with access to 1.2 million COVID-19 PRC tests free of charge. The World Bank’s overall support to COVID-19 testing, including rapid antigen tests, amounts to US$ 15.5 million so far.
“As Ukraine's long-term development partner, the World Bank is helping Ukrainian authorities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. To best help Ukrainians afflicted with COVID-19, our financing and technical advice is helping to strengthen Ukraine's hospitals, ambulatories and emergency care providers where people are being treated for the disease. The World Bank is also helping with testing and prevention – providing Ukraine with financing for test kits, upgrading of infection prevention and control in designated hospitals”, said Arup Banerji, World Bank Regional Country Director for Eastern Europe.
“Despite a wide spread of the rapid antigen tests utilization, a PRC method remains a key screening method for us. The laboratory capacity now allows us to test everyone who needs it, and high-quality test systems are in constant demand”, said Viktor Liashko, Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine.
“The test positivity rate in Ukraine is too high, reaching up to 25-30 per cent, while it should not exceed 5%. More testing is critical for gaining control over the spread of the virus in communities,” said Lotta Sylwander, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine. “This has to be combined with other health care measures to disrupt the transmission chain, such as widening access to free-of-charge testing, timely contact tracing and isolation. These measures should come as a package to help communities to get back to normal sooner,” added Ms. Sylwander.
UNICEF is working with donors and partners to support the Government of Ukraine in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic and future COVID-19 vaccination as part of the COVAX Facility.
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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.
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About the World Bank
The World Bank Group, one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, is taking broad, fast action to help developing countries strengthen their pandemic response. It is supporting public health interventions, working to ensure the flow of critical supplies and equipment, and helping the private sector continue to operate and sustain jobs. The WBG is making available up to $160 billion over a 15-month period ending June 2021 to help more than 100 countries protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery. This includes $50 billion of new IDA resources through grants and highly concessional loans and $12 billion for developing countries to finance the purchase and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Follow World Bank in Ukraine on Facebook and website.
