The Ukrainian Deputy Health Minister, Svitlana Shatalova, says the World Bank will loan Ukraine about $88.6m (2.5 billion hryvnia) to buy COVID-19 vaccines, according to a statement on Friday

“The funds will be used for an emergency response to COVID-19 and vaccination in Ukraine” project.

“The negotiations on this matter have been held between the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors and the Ukrainian Government since December 2020,” the official said.

Ukrainian Health Minister Maxym Stepanov said Ukraine would receive vaccines in two ways.

Stepanov said at least eight million doses would be donated to the country under the global COVAX initiative.

The health minister said the rest of the vaccines would be purchased by Ukraine from manufacturers.

The commercial sale of the COVID-19 vaccine will be possible in Ukraine this summer and the national vaccination plan will inoculate all Ukrainian citizens at the state’s expense.

According to the Ukrainian health ministry, a total of 1,182,969 COVID-19 cases and 21,662 deaths have been reported in the country as of Friday, while 928,969 patients have recovered.