MINSK, 25 November (BelTA) – Japan has granted Belarus around $108,000 to purchase medical equipment for two healthcare facilities: Soligorsk District Central Hospital and Mogilev Oblast Diagnosis and Treatment Center, BelTA learned from the Japanese Embassy in Belarus.
The embassy has been implementing the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) Program of the Japanese government since 2004. The program provides grants to help the Chernobyl accident victims. Belarus has already implemented 54 projects with the total budget of more than $4.1 million under the program.
On 24 November, Minsk hosted an official ceremony to sign grant contracts for the purchase of an infant incubator for Soligorsk District Central Hospital ($72,600) and an ultrasound machine for Mogilev Oblast Diagnosis and Treatment Center ($35,300).
This year, Japan and Belarus intend to sign contracts for offering grants for projects not only in healthcare, but also in social services, Ambassador of Japan to Belarus Hiroki Tokunaga noted at the signing ceremony.
“However, the initial and main priority of the program is the delivery of medical equipment and the improvement of medical services. In view of the challenges facing the healthcare system this year, we believe that there is no limit to improving the healthcare system, including thanks to increasing the number of special medical equipment and improving its quality,” the ambassador stressed.