MANILA, PHILIPPINES (28 October 2021) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $25 million project to help the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic procure and deploy coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines and strengthen the country’s capacity to implement its vaccination program.
ADB’s assistance, comprising a $12.5 million loan and a $12.5 million grant, will support the Kyrgyz Republic’s National Vaccination Deployment Plan by purchasing and delivering an estimated 1.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, as well as syringes and safety boxes. It is financed through ADB’s $9 billion Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility launched in December 2020 to offer rapid and equitable vaccine-related support to ADB developing member countries.
“Vaccination is vital in reducing the spread of COVID-19 and preventing further losses from the pandemic,” said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa. “This project will help protect people in the Kyrgyz Republic and help restore the country’s gains in economic development and poverty reduction. ADB is fully committed to supporting the Kyrgyz Republic’s recovery from the pandemic.”
ADB’s COVID-19 Vaccine Support Project will help vaccinate over 760,000 people, or about 12% of the Kyrgyz Republic’s population. The project will finance vaccines and help strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Health and Social Development to implement the government’s vaccination program.
The project builds on earlier support for the Kyrgyz Republic’s COVID-19 response. Last year, ADB provided $50 million in loan and grant financing to support the government’s health, social protection, and economic response measures, and $20 million to help strengthen its health sector. ADB also provided about $1 million for the immediate procurement of medical supplies and personal protective equipment for health workers.
The Kyrgyz Republic joined ADB in 1994. Since then, the bank has committed more than $1.3 billion in loans, $811 million in grants, and $69 million in technical assistance. ADB operations in the country focus on supporting inclusive growth and economic diversification, improving access to public and social services, and leveraging regional cooperation and integration.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.
