The objective of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Emergency Response Project for Iran is to improve the availability of selected essential, life-saving medical equipment for COVID-19 response. Although the project is not part of the global Strategic Preparedness and Response Program (SPRP), it is fully aligned with the scope of the Fast Track COVID-19 Facility (FTCF) and its objectives. The project will have a single component: procurement and distribution of selected essential, life-saving medical equipment for COVID-19 response. A positive list of essential, life-saving medical equipment for COVID-19 response will be used to select items to be procured. The positive list is not expected to change during project implementation, while the items to be procured from this list and their quantities can be adjusted as needed. Health facilities will be selected on the basis of the following eligibility criteria to receive the medical equipment: a) all selected facilities will be civilian facilities; b) facilities will meet environmental and social criteria, including Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management, medical waste management in line with World Health Organization (WHO) standards and Good International Industry Practice (GIIP) in a manner consistent with the Environmental and Social Standards of the World Bank, and grievance redress mechanisms (GRM) before receiving the equipment; c) population's needs (particularly those of the poor and vulnerable) related to COVID-19 will be taken into account; d) distribution of the equipment will be equitable with consideration to (i) the population size, and (ii) the level of poverty in the province where each hospital is located. WHO will be contracted by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran (GOI) to provide technical assistance in: a) identification of items to be procured and their specifications based on the positive list; b) quantification and specifications of the items to be procured, taking into account (i) the country's needs as the pandemic evolves, and (ii) availability of such equipment from other funding sources; c) based on agreed facility eligibility criteria, identification of the specific health facilities to receive the medical equipment. WHO will conduct the procurement on the basis of the list of the medical equipment to be procured. WHO will also be responsible for the distribution of the equipment to the selected health facilities as discussed above.

To improve the availability of selected essential, life-saving medical equipment for COVID-19 response.