Proparco provides Evex Hospitals with a grant to support its operations against covid19
published on 21 January 2021
This grant will finance exceptional protective equipment costs caused by the pandemic. It recognizes the key role the private sector is currently playing to overcome the health and economic crisis and illustrates Proparco’s sustained commitment to its clients.
The subsidiary of the largest healthcare group in Georgia - Georgia Healthcare Group (GHG), Evex Hospitals manages the largest hospital network, operating 18 referral hospitals across the country. Since the beginning of the covid19 crisis, the Group has partnered with the Georgian government to contribute to the national pandemic response. As of January 2021, six hospitals (in Tbilisi and the regions) with more than 1,000 beds managed by Evex Hospitals have been specifically equipped and made available to support the Georgian Government and the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs to manage the pandemic in the country and to receive and cure covid19 patients in a safe way.
Proparco and Evex Hospitals have been partners since 2016, when Proparco allocated a US$25 million loan to the healthcare provider to support its development, including notably the refurbishment of two referral hospitals and the development of outpatient care facilities.
The subsidy will specifically help Evex Hospitals better protect its employees and patients, including through the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) and disinfection materials and services. This operation was made possible thanks to funds allocated to Proparco by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and dedicated to supporting Proparco’s clients, especially in the health sector, in their efforts to address the covid19 crisis.
“Cooperation in the health sector is one of the strongest pillar of French-Georgian relations. It was a key aspect of the support provided to public authorities in 2020 by the Agence Française de Développement. It also covers the private sector as shown by today’s grant to Evex Hospital by Proparco, the private sector arm of the AFD group. Facing the challenge of covid, it is indeed important that we all pull our strengths together to make Georgia, France, Europe and the world healthier, safer and stronger. I hope and trust that this spirit of togetherness will also guide us through the recovery from covid in the health sector, and in the many other endeavours that are ahead of us”, said Diego Colas, the French Ambassador for the Republic of Georgia.
“Evex Hospitals has proven to be an important and committed contributor in the fight against the covid-19 pandemic in Georgia. We are proud to be able to support its activities and to contribute to the enhanced protection of both its employees and patients” said Stéphane Froissardey, Proparco’s Regional Director for Turkey, Caucasus, Central Asia, Balkans and Eastern Europe.
“On behalf of GHG I want to thank Proparco, our longstanding partner, for this valuable contribution to the company in this turbulent time. Our doctors and nurses are in frontline to fight against virus at 24/7 and it is our duty to protect and ensure their safety and well-being. The funds received by Proparco will definitely serve the goal to further enhance protective measures at our hospitals, so they remain safe place for our employees as well as for our patients.” - commented Nikoloz Gamkrelidze, CEO of Georgia Healthcare Group.
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Proparco has been working steadily to support its clients, to provide them with tailored solutions and to help them cope with this unique situation. Proparco has also maintained its financing activity for the private sector in emerging and developing countries, particularly in sectors heavily impacted by the pandemic, in order to preserve its capacity to create jobs and to provide essential goods and services.
