COVID-19 vaccines are being given in increasing numbers of countries, but WHO continues to advocate for and work towards more equitable distribution and access. Meanwhile, case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise in many regions. Thanks to donors and partners – such as the European Union, Japan, UNICEF, WFP, ECDC and others featured this week – WHO has been delivering protective equipment, maintaining essential health services and more.
WHO helps boost deliveries of COVID-19 vaccine in the Americas
Story published by PAHO/WHO on 10 March 2021.
Thanks to WHO and its partners, nearly 2.3 million additional COVAX doses of COVID-19 vaccine are set to arrive in 7 more countries in the Americas in the coming weeks. Countries include Bolivia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua and Peru.
In total, 36 of the region’s nations have so far started to receive vaccines through COVAX.
The WHO Regional office for the Americas (PAHO) also recently delivered an additional 55 tons of personal protective equipment (PPE), medicines and surgical material to Venezuela as well as substantial shipments of PPE to Bolivia and Nicaragua.
WHO has also engaged with indigenous communities to raise awareness about the risk of COVID-19 and other diseases.
Nigeria engages community leaders to promote COVID-19 vaccine uptake
Story published by WHO/AFRO on 12 March 2021.
In Nigeria WHO has been supporting the government to engage leaders from traditional and religious institutions to build on experience from successful polio prevention campaigns to enhance community acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. These community-based interventions have included encouraging voluntary testing; celebrating survivors’ stories; promoting declaration of contacts by confirmed cases; and adherence to preventive measures. So far, the outreach has resulted in a sharp rise in testing for COVID-19 among the communities engaged.
Government of Japan donation helps WHO and partners support vulnerable populations in Angola
Nutrition surveillance in Angola. Story published by WHO/AFRO on 16 March 2021.
The government of Japan recently donated US$ 1 million to WHO and partners to support essential health services interrupted by COVID-19 in Angola.
With the funds generously provided by Japan, WHO will support nutrition and mental health programmes at the national level as well as assist in the adaptation of norms and protocols to prevention and treat malnutrition and its health consequences, especially among vulnerable populations. A portion of the funds will also be invested in improving water and sanitation, risk communication, community engagement in schools, and providing access to nutrition services.
WHO, the World Food Programme (WFP), and UNICEF are working together on these initiatives to ensure a unified response and call attention to the growing problem of malnutrition and food insecurity in Angola.
WHO continues to donate critical medical supplies in the African region
WHO representative in Gambia at equipment handover. Story published by WHO/AFRO on 17 March 2021.
WHO recently donated valuable oxygen equipment, vital sign monitors, masks, computers, reagents, and equipment for X-ray machines to support the ongoing response to COVID-19 in Cabo Verde.
In Liberia this month, WHO donated lifesaving medicines and laboratory supplies to test for COVID-19 and Ebola.
In Gambia the WHO country office donated a large stock of critical equipment to help fight the pandemic. This included medical supplies, test kits, patient monitors, personal protective equipment, essential medicines, and more.
WHO also recently supported the COVID-19 response Intra-Action Review in Burundi, which helped identify best practices, areas for improvement, and future challenges. The review will help the country update its ongoing activities to fight the pandemic.
WHO and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control launch the first joint COVID-19 Surveillance Bulletin
The first joint COVID-19 weekly surveillance bulletin was released on 19 March 2021 by WHO/Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
For the first time both surveillance and vaccination data on COVID-19 in all WHO European Region countries and territories are accessible on one platform. The bulletin incorporates COVID-19 data visualization covering cases, deaths and vaccine uptake by age group as well as hospitalizations.
The COVID-19 surveillance bulletin is now being published on a weekly basis, presenting data reported by country for the previous week.
WHO supports COVID-19 contact tracing in Bangladesh through personnel and technology
Contact tracing training at IEDCR premises in Dhaka - WHO Bangladesh/Angelina Halder. Story published by WHO Bangladesh country office on 11 March 2021.
With funding and technical support provided by WHO, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research in Bangladesh recently recruited over 80 staff to strengthen COVID-19 surveillance and contact tracing.
After an initial phase of widespread training and scale-up of the national contact tracing workforce, the Go.Data tool was adopted and implemented to further enhance outbreak investigation and contact tracing activities.
Go.Data is a software created for outbreak response and contact tracing, developed by WHO in collaboration with partners in the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN).
By integrating relevant case and contact data, including laboratories, hospitals and other information, Go.Data generates daily contact follow-up lists and offers a comprehensive visualization of chains of COVID-19 transmission in Bangladesh.
Read more about WHO’s response to COVID-19 across the world.
Without the support of donors and partners, WHO would not be able to reach these countries in need and help them make it through the COVID-19 pandemic.
WHO thanks all governments, organizations and individuals contributing to the COVID-19 response around the world since the beginning of the outbreak, and in particular those who have provided fully flexible contributions, to ensure a comprehensive fight against the disease.
Member States and other governments in 2021:
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Guinea Bissau, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Malta, Mauritania, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Sao Tome and Principe, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States.
Other partners in 2021:
African Development Bank Group, African Reinsurance Corporation, Asian Development Bank, BMGF, China Medical Board, COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, East African Community, Gavi-The Vaccine Alliance, International Organization for Migration (IOM), Islamic Development Bank, King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Center (Ksrelief), Lesotho, National Philanthropic Trust (NPT), WHO Regional Office for the Americas, Rockefeller Foundation, Southern African Development Community Secretariat (SADC), Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Vital Strategies.
Read more about donors and partners contributing to the COVID-19 response
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