Estonia seeks World Bank loan

TALLINN - Estonia's Finance and Social Affairs ministries are holding talks with the World Bank on a 400 million kroon ($23.3 million) loan to help with an estimated 5.5 billion kroon overhaul of the country's hospital network.

The loan will also help start a major health care project, known as the hospital master plan, which the government approved last spring, the Eesti Paevaleht daily reported.

The project, devised by Swedish experts and scheduled to last through 2015, calls for a reduction in the number of health care institutions and a more rational use of medical funds, the report said.

"Talks are under way with donor nation funds within the bank," said Tiit Jurimae, manager of Estonia Health Project 2015. He said the Japanese government was expected to provide a grant for $400,000 in unrecoverable aid to Estonia in the near future. Part of the money will be used to build new hospitals and the rest will go toward creating a framework allowing as many private investors as possible to enter the Estonian health network.