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Financing Sustainable Health Infrastructure in CEB Target Countries

15 April 2016

Cover WP HealthThe CEB released its latest working paper “Financing Sustainable Health Infrastructure in CEB Target Countries”.

This working paper provides an overview of the CEB’s activities in the health sector across the Bank’s target countries. While taking into account the CEB’s experience in financing health projects to date, the paper also assesses recent trends and challenges in healthcare provision and financing and their implications for future lending to this sector.

Investing in people’s health as human capital and promoting equitable access to healthcare contribute to strengthening social cohesion, which is a priority for the CEB. The roots of the Bank’s financing in favour of the health sector date back to 1982, with the total volume of projects approved in this sector since then coming close to € 5 billion. This amount represents a 9% share of total loans approved over the period 1982-2015. It includes close to € 1.3 billion in health projects located in the CEB’s target countries.

To meet the growing demand for healthcare and long-term care in the coming years, this publication underlines the need for the CEB to continue to finance investments in new and updated facilities, equipment and skills, especially in the still transitioning CEB target countries.

 

Set up in 1956, the CEB (Council of Europe Development Bank) has 41 member states. Twenty-two Central, Eastern and South Eastern European countries, forming the Bank's target countries, are listed among the member states. As a major instrument of the policy of solidarity in Europe, the Bank finances social projects by making available resources raised in conditions reflecting the quality of its rating (Aa1 with Moody's, outlook stable, AA+ with Standard & Poor's, outlook stable and AA+ with Fitch Ratings, outlook stable). It thus grants loans to its member states, and to financial institutions and local authorities in its member states for the financing of projects in the social sector, in accordance with its Articles of Agreement.

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