The UNDP Tajikistan received funding from the UNDP’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Response (BCPR) to implement a wide-ranging program involving disaster risk reduction in 2012. Part of this funding was dedicated towards implementing an actual risk reduction projects.  
An initial review identified seismic risk reduction as an appropriate target area for the project. Tajikistan faces a significant risk from frequent small intensity seismic events as well as the likelihood of a catastrophic earthquake. An assessment indicated that both educational and health facilities were on high risk because of the types of construction involved and resident populations. UNDP and other organizations already had experience with seismic retrofitting for schools, but similar experience was lacking at the district-level health facilities. Furthermore, the assessment indicated that due to the nature of the population (patients often with limited mobility, lack of capacity to replace with qualified staffs and numerous visitors) residing in the district-level hospitals made an alarming focus for a much needed  efforts to reduce seismic risk.