UN Moldova supports the Government to fight COVID-19 pandemic

As of today (April 7), over 900 cases were confirmed with covid-19 in Moldova. The Government is mobilizing its efforts and resources to fight the pandemic and reduce its impact on social, economic and development areas of the county.

The Unite Nations (UN) Country Team in Moldova has since been in constant communication with the Government of Moldova and Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection (MoHLSP) and offered support in three main areas: health system preparedness, technical support and capacity building and information and communication on COVID-19. Together with World Health Organization (WHO), the Resident Coordinator Office has identified the needs to respond to the four scenarios on COVID-19 envisaged for Moldova. Additionally, UN Moldova has engaged in conversations with development partners to allocate resources and expertise towards the most urgent needs to support the preparedness of the health system.

” This is the greatest test humanity can take. The key words and actions are now solidarity, empathy and responsibility. We need to think strategically and be ahead with two-three steps so that every person receives the needed care. UN Moldova and its agencies stand by the Government of Moldova providing its expertise, resources and networking to contain the pandemic.” mentioned Simon Springett, UN Moldova Resident Coordinator.

As a result of the coordination work done, WHO, one the UN agencies, has provided 2,500 COVID-19 test kits and 0.5 ton in personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers. As well, WHO has implemented more than 10 training sessions for health professionals, epidemiologists and heads of hospitals on clinical management of the COVID-19, epidemiology, prevention and control of acute respiratory infections, while in collaboration with UNDP Moldova they have informed over 75 mayors throughout the country on COVID-19. In March the online dashboard on COVID-19 was launched in Moldova with the support of UNFPA Moldova providing data in real-time on cases of coronavirus. Recently, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation together with UNDP Moldova have provided have provided gowns to protect health workers. Medical equipment is to offered under the same grant. At the same time, UNICEF Moldova is in process of purchasing additional medical equipment, PPEs for health workers and is facilitating the process of procurement of medicines for COVID-19 treatment and ARV for HIV control. While UN Women teamed up with UNFPA and provided masks and disinfectants, staple foods, liquid soap, menstrual hygiene products and baby diapers to almost 250 women survivors of domestic violence with the support of Sweden. These any many more have been undertaken by the UN Moldova agencies and development partners. 

Communication on COVID-19 plays an important role in containing the pandemic. UN Moldova and partners are fully supporting the MoHLSP in developing strategic communication, producing the info materials and spreading the information through all available channels taking into account the right of every person to information. 

Worldwide, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres launched a US $2 billion coordinated global humanitarian response plan to fight COVID-19 in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries in a bid to protect millions of people and stop the virus from circling back around the globe.

COVID-19 has killed more than 70.000 people worldwide and there are over 1 million reported cases. It has a foothold across the globe and is now reaching countries that were already facing humanitarian crisis because of conflict, natural disasters and climate change.