Page 1 INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATASHEET APPRAISAL STAGE I. Basic Information Date prepared/updated: 05/04/2006 Report No.: AC2108 1. Basic Project Data Country: Ethiopia Project ID: P074015 Project Name: Protection of Basic Services Task Team Leader: Trina S. Haque Estimated Appraisal Date: February 14, 2006 Estimated Board Date: May 25, 2006 Managing Unit: AFTH3 Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Sector: Sub-national government administration (50%);Other social services (50%) Theme: Social safety nets (P);Decentralization (P);Public expenditure, financial management and procurement (S);Other communicable diseases (S);Managing for development results (S) IBRD Amount (US$m.): 0.00 IDA Amount (US$m.): 215.00 GEF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 PCF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 Other financing amounts by source: BORROWER/RECIPIENT 2,030.75 CANADA: CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CIDA) 15.75 UK: BRITISH DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (DFID)296.00 IRELAND, GOV. OF 1.00 Financing Gap 4.41 2,347.91 Environmental Category: B - Partial Assessment Simplified Processing Simple [] Repeater [] Is this project processed under OP 8.50 (Emergency Recovery) Yes [ ] No [X] 2. Project Objectives The project development objective of the PBS operation is to protect the delivery of basic services by sub-national governments while promoting and deepening transparency and accountability in service delivery. 3. Project Description The project has four components which include the following: Component 1 on the Basic Services Grant to maintain the delivery of basic services provided by regional and local governments, comprising: (a) funding of the block grant to regional governments who in turn deliver basic services or make transfers to local Page 2 governments to support the delivery of basic services; (b) monitoring (i) the level and timeliness of funding for basic services to ensure additionality targets are met, (ii) the fair application of distributional rules, (iii) actual spending levels on basic services and its distribution. Component 2 on the Health MDG Performance Pooled Fund will those critical inputs for primary health service delivery that cannot be efficiently financed at woreda level through the block-grant supported under Component 1. It will have a specific focus on controlling malaria, and will serve as the initial entry point in Ethiopia for the Bank’s Malaria Control Booster Program. It will support four types of activities: (i) procurement and distribution of critical health Commodities; (ii) Capacity building; (iii) Strengthening of procurement and logistic: and (iv) Emergency health needs. Component 3 on Government Systems on Financial Transparency and Accountability will support activities at the Regional, Woreda and sub-Woreda levels to significantly enhance transparency around public budget procedures (budget preparation, expenditure and audits); and, foster broad engagement, strengthened “voice” andclient power of citizen representative groups and citizens more broadly on public budget processes and public service delivery. This component will also finance accountants to be hired by MOFED to enhance its own capacity and to provide TA to the regions and Woredas. It will also finance urgent capacity strengthening activities for the Office of the Federal Auditor General. Component 4 on Social Accountability which, through a flexible Multi-Donor Trust Fund mechanism executed by the World Bank, will support capacity building for, and piloting of, selected approaches to strengthen voice of citizens and civil society groups in the context of decentralized service delivery, and also build capacity of citizens to engage in public budgeting processes. 4. Project Location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis The project will be implemented throughout the country by basic health facilities such as health centers and health posts. These health facilities generate medical wastes which may endanger human health unless the wastes are properly handled and managed. Since 1997 the Ministry of Health has developed a national guideline on handling wastes by health facilities. 5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists Mr Gebreselassie Okubagzhi (AFTH3) Page 3 6. Safeguard Policies Triggered Yes No Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01) X Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04) X Forests (OP/BP 4.36) X Pest Management (OP 4.09) X Cultural Property (OPN 11.03) X Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10) X Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) X Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37) X Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50) X Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60) X II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues 1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the proposed project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts: The project implementation will involve medical waste and use of insecticides which are likely to raise safeguard issues. The physical design of health centers and health posts have provisions for proper disposal of liquid and solid wastes in addition to small incinerators for burning contaminated materials used by health centers. Insecticides are used indoors and the potential for contaminating the outside environment is limited in scope. No significant negative impact will be anticipated as long as agreed safeguard measures are fully implemented. 2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities in the project area: No long-term impacts are anticipated as long as the safeguard policies are implemented. 3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize adverse impacts. Regular supervision to ensure adherence to the safeguards guidelines will help minimize the possible adverse impacts. 4. Describe measures taken by the borrower to address safeguard policy issues. Provide an assessment of borrower capacity to plan and implement the measures described. The Government has developed Waste Handling and Disposal Guideline which is being used by health facilities since 1997. In addition, all health facility construction designs include provisions for proper handling of liquid and solid wastes generated by health units and small burning facilities are installed for taking care of contaminated and hazardous materials. In addition, health facilities are provided with autoclaves to sterilize medical instruments and other materials. Furthermore, the Government is finalizing “Injection Safety Guideline” to reduce infections through contaminated needles. The Government has agreed to install a regular monitoring system to ensure the implementation of the safeguards and regular checking of facilities to ascertain that health facility generated wastes do not contaminate the environment. An environmental Page 4 sanitation expert (sanitarian) located in health centers will take the responsibility for supervising the implementation of the safeguards policy by health facilities. The Government will allocate sufficient funds to a) ensure the availability of appropriate medical equipment and that health facilities are properly equipped to avoid potential health hazards emanating from poorly designed health infrastructure; b) monitor the availability and functionality of basic health facilities to ensure proper disposal and treatment of medical waste; and c) conduct regular supervision and ensure timely maintenance of facilities and instruments. 5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people. Private and public health institutions are the major stakeholders. The preparation of the 1997 guideline has reportedly involved a number of stakeholders. Workshop and briefing forums are used for consultation and disclosure. B. Disclosure Requirements Date Environmental Assessment/Audit/Management Plan/Other: Date of receipt by the Bank 02/09/2006 Date of "in-country" disclosure 09/30/1998 Date of submission to InfoShop 02/16/2006 For category A projects, date of distributing the Executive Summary of the EA to the Executive Directors * If the project triggers the Pest Management and/or Cultural Property, the respective issues are to be addressed and disclosed as part of the Environmental Assessment/Audit/or EMP. If in-country disclosure of any of the above documents is not expected, please explain why: The Amharic version of the guidelines has been in use in Ethiopia since 1997 C. Compliance Monitoring Indicators at the Corporate Level (to be filled in when the ISDS is finalized by the project decision meeting) OP/BP/GP 4.01 - Environment Assessment Does the project require a stand-alone EA (including EMP) report? No If yes, then did the Regional Environment Unit or Sector Manager (SM) review and approve the EA report? N/A Are the cost and the accountabilities for the EMP incorporated in the credit/loan? N/A The World Bank Policy on Disclosure of Information Have relevant safeguard policies documents been sent to the World Bank's Infoshop? Yes Have relevant documents been disclosed in-country in a public place in a Yes Page 5 form and language that are understandable and accessible to project-affected groups and local NGOs? All Safeguard Policies Have satisfactory calendar, budget and clear institutional responsibilities been prepared for the implementation of measures related to safeguard policies? Yes Have costs related to safeguard policy measures been included in the project cost? Yes Does the Monitoring and Evaluation system of the project include the monitoring of safeguard impacts and measures related to safeguard policies? Yes Have satisfactory implementation arrangements been agreed with the borrower and the same been adequately reflected in the project legal documents? Yes D. Approvals Signed and submitted by: Name Date Task Team Leader: Ms Trina S. Haque 02/20/2006 Environmental Specialist: Mr Gebreselassie Okubagzhi 02/20/2006 Social Development Specialist Additional Environmental and/or Social Development Specialist(s): Approved by: Sector Manager: Ms Laura Frigenti 05/04/2006 Comments: