Humanitarians are seeking nearly $7 billion to protect millions of lives and halt the spread of COVID-19 in more than 60 of the world’s most fragile countries. The updated Global Humanitarian Response Plan, launched on Thursday, provides help and protection that prioritize the most vulnerable in society, such as older people, people with disabilities, and women and girls.COVID-19 has now reached practically every country on the planet, with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting more than 3.6 million cases and over 251,000 deaths as of Thursday.
However, humanitarians believe the peak of the disease in the world’s poorest countries is expected to hit within the next three to six months. The impact is already being felt, with incomes plummeting and jobs wiped out. Meanwhile, food supplies are falling as prices soar, and millions of children are missing out on routine vaccinations and school meals.The World Food Programme (WFP) is among the UN agencies and partners responding to the immense needs, reaching nearly 100 million people on any given day. The $6.7 billion Global Humanitarian Response Plan calls for swift and determined action to stave off the most debilitating effects of the pandemic in 63 low and middle-income countries. While most of these nations have low COVID-19 caseloads, their surveillance, laboratory testing and health systems are weak, according to WHO.
The updated plan builds on an earlier appeal made by the UN Secretary-General in late March which called for $2 billion. António Guterres urged donors to step up support to stop the new coronavirus from circling back around the globe.“Humanitarian aid is not just a moral imperative; it is a practical necessity to combat the virus”, he said in a video message. “If COVID-19 wreaks havoc in the poorest places, we are all at risk”.
The initial plan has netted $1 billion which has been used to install handwashing facilities in refugee camps and other vulnerable places, and to provide countries with medical supplies such as gloves, surgical masks, N95 respirators and testing kits. New transport hubs for delivering supplies by air have also been established, while nearly two million people worldwide, including health workers, have been trained in virus identification via an online portal run by WHO.
Source: The UN
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