AID OF USD 1.5 MILLION IS TO SUPPORT MONGOLIA’S INSURANCE SYSTEM

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Asian Development Bank (ADB), together with Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) are to grant Mongolia a nonrefundable aid of 1.5 million USD. Last Friday, the parts--ADB, JFPR and the Government of Mongolia--signed a pact on the aid that will be spent in projects to improve a health insurance system of the nation. The aid will finance projects that aim at increased capacity for social health insurance financing, improved performance through management systems and capacity development of the Health Insurance Organization, strengthened governance of the social health insurance system, and increased financial accessibility of health services, especially for the poor. Japan established the JFPR in May of 2000 to provide grants for projects supporting poverty reduction and related social development activities that can add value to projects financed by ADB. In 2010, the JFPR expanded its scope of grant assistance to provide technical assistance grants in addition to project grants. The grants are intended to focus on activities which respond directly to the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable groups through new and innovative methods; support initiatives that lead to rapid, demonstrable benefits with positive prospects of developing into sustainable activities; or build ownership, capacity, empowerment and participation of local communities, non-governmental organizations and other civil society groups to facilitate their involvement in projects financed by ADB.