KAMPALA – World Vision, a global NGO, has designated over US$1m (Ugx3 billion) from its different programmes in Health, Education, Water & Sanitation, Livelihood and Refugee Response to its COVID-19 Emergency Response programme. This programme seeks to promote preventative measures to slow the spread of the virus, support health systems & its workers, and provide children and their families’ multi-sector support during the crisis.
The Response started over a week ago with the handing over of 40,500 Kilogrammes of soap to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in Arua district. The soap is meant to support about 150,000 vulnerable children and people with special needs in the refugee settlements.
On April 9, hygiene equipment and supplies worth UGX 2 billion were dispatched to support 500 government health units and hospitals in 38 districts where World Vision supports over 2 million children and their families.
A key element of the Response is focussed on partnering with the Ministry of Health and local governments in order to set-up more isolation centres with mattresses and food for suspected cases (mattresses and isolation tents have already been distributed in Hoima, Mbale and Mayuge districts). The organisation is also supporting the training of Village Health Teams (VHTs) to carry out door-to-door sensitisation with megaphones, as well as distributing handwashing facilities & soap to health centres, and personal protective equipment for health workers. Logistically, the organization has contributed over 3000 litres of fuel to enable various district task force members to respond to the needs of the crisis.
“We also fully recognise that before long we will need to consider livelihoods interventions. The question many are asking is whether effectively managing the COVID-19 epidemic is as big a risk as that of economic collapse?” Says Jason Evans, the National Director at World Vision Uganda
Jason says that it’s appropriate for World Vision to plan for intervention for both aspects. “For now, we are focussing on mitigating the spread of Coronavirus but soon we will need to start working with communities to ensure that they can plant crops and become active in bringing resources into their homes because if we cannot achieve this, we risk seeing communities slip back into poverty, with as usual the highest impact on the children.”
World Vision’s COVID 19 Response Team is closely working with the Ministry of Health, with the World Vision Health Technical Manager as a member of the National Taskforce. World Vision is continuing to seek additional resources for what it sees as a potentially longer-term intervention.
List of Items handed over on Thursday:
COVID-19 RESPONSE ITEMS
Masks N95- Re-usable ( Pack of 20) – 482
Saraya sanitizers for Health facilities ((Big Size of 1liter) -2,490
Infrared-Thermometers- Guns -335
Safety Gaggles -Safety glasses- 490
Scrub suit- 50
Cotton wool- 20
Absorbent papers -10
Nosal prongs adult- 110
Nosal prongs pediatric size- 100
Face shield Plastic – 70
Heavy-duty Nylon Hand Gloves – 80
Disposable Gloves (Pack of 50pcs)- 1,190
Face shields /protective face shields (pack of 50pcs)- Plastic – 1,955
Hygiene Kits (Gloves) for VHTs & Health staff (50 Pairs per pack) – 405
Ziplock Bag- 1000
Sample carrier- 24
Disposable Gowns- 210
Isolation tent for Mayuge – 2
Dustbins 50 litres – 104
White Bar Soap for selected communities centres – 20 bars, 1kg- 130
Megaphone for mobilization – 100
Gumboots-Rhino- 2580
Apron Protective -Plastic – 200
Buckets -20 Litres with covers – 150
Gumboots -Heavy duty- 198
Plaster adhesive- 510
Drug Safety boxes- 60
Liquid Soap – health facilities 20 lit jerricans)Jireh- 812
Liquid Soap – health facilities 5 lit jerricans)Jireh- 335
Jik ( Each has 18bottles of 750ml )- 598
Hand washing facility withstands 20 litres – 300
Disinfectants 1 litre -Jireh – 300
Handwashing Facility 50 Litres with a stand and a bucket – 880
Disposable Gowns – 100 – 300
Aprons Plastic -Protective disposable Aprons-PVC Material- 1,000
Protective disposable Aprons – 950
Assorted medicines for Hoima
Mattresses delivered to Hoima.
