The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $75 million loan and a $2 million grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR) to implement a project on the development of nursing and midwifery in Turkmenistan, according to the bank’s press release. This is the first ADB project in the country’s healthcare sector, aimed at strengthening the nursing profession and expanding public access to quality medical services.

The project provides for the construction of a new nursing school in Ashgabat, equipped with modern facilities and simulation laboratories for interactive learning. The infrastructure will also include a safe ward for mothers, a dormitory, and a garden of edible plants to promote healthy nutrition.

The curricula will be updated in line with international standards, new educational and medical equipment will be procured, and training programs will be organized for teachers and senior nurses. This will help strengthen the role of nursing staff in the healthcare system and improve the quality of medical services.

The total project cost is $98 million, of which $23 million will be financed by the Government of Turkmenistan. As noted by ADB’s Country Director in Turkmenistan, Artur Andrisyak, this is already the third joint project in the history of cooperation, reflecting the growing trust and partnership between the organization and the country.