The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) will provide Ukraine with a UAH 2.5 billion loan for the fight against COVID-19, in particular for the purchase of vaccines, Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine Svitlana Shatalova said during a press briefing in Kyiv on Thursday.

"The Ukrainian healthcare system will additionally receive UAH 2.5 billion from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Yesterday, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a loan agreement proposed by the Ministry of Health within the framework of the COVID-19 Response and Vaccination Project in Ukraine," she said.

According to the deputy minister, the document provides for funds for the purchase of vaccines against COVID-19 in the amount of about UAH 840 million.

"In addition, the agreement provides for logistics, the purchase of equipment for cold chains and sequencing of virus strains, as well as training on waste disposal. About UAH 900 million will receive the general fund of the state budget for the fulfillment of DLI indicators [disbursement linked indicators]," Shatalova added.