Unamid, UN sign financial deal to support Sudan in its fight against Covid-19

The United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (Unamid), in consultation with the Sudanese government and in partnership with the UN Agency, Funds and Programmes (AFPs) implementing the Joint State Liaison Functions in Darfur, has agreed to allocate nearly $2 million to support Sudan’s Covid-19 National Response Plans focusing on Darfur.

“Projects covered under this Financial Agreement will contribute to and support the government’s preparedness and response to the current Covid-19 pandemic in Sudan, with a focus on hotspots in Darfur,” Unamid’s Deputy Joint Special Representative, Anita Kiki Gbeho stated at the virtual signing ceremony of the Financial Agreement held at the Mission’s Headquarters in Zalingei, capital of Central Darfur on Monday.

Selva Ramachandran, UNDP Resident Representative for Sudan countersigned the Agreement on behalf of his organisation from Khartoum.

In an Information Note on Thursday, Unamid states that the funding under this Agreement will cater for projects aimed at containing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, decreasing morbidity and mortality by supporting equipment and or establishment of isolation centres.

It will support the strengthening of capacities of local health and community systems in adopting Infection Control and Prevention measures through the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).

In addition, sanitizers and handwashing facilities will be provided, as well as support concerning medical waste management and disposal equipment, supplies and consumables. The capacities of Points of Entries to detect and refer suspected cases will be enhanced through provision of thermal detectors and IPC equipment.

These planned projects were selected in consultation with the Sudanese Ministry of Health based on the gaps and immediate needs of the National Country Preparedness and Response Plan for Covid-19. UNDP will cater for the procurement processes, whilst the World Health Organization (WHO), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), in collaboration with other UN AFPs and Unamid will support the planning and distribution of items and monitoring of the implementation in coordination with joint federal and states’ ministries of health.

“Funds from this Financial Agreement will clearly target, amongst the general population, internally displaced people, returnees, the prison population and host communities in Darfur that are among the most vulnerable Darfuris to Covid-19 and its social and economic consequences. These are core vulnerable target groups for Unamid. They desperately need our support and as the UN family in Sudan, specifically Darfur, we will continue to partner with the Transitional Government of Sudan in its spirited fight against Covid-19,” DJSR Gbeho said.

At the North and Central Darfur state level, Unamid has gifted the Ministries of Health with critical equipment such as generators, air conditioners, hard plastic water tanks, PPEs, and various other related items to be used in the newly established isolation centres in the states.

Unamid has also assisted the State High Level Coordinating Committee on Covid-19 with logistic support through helicopter flights to visit El Tina and El Laeit in North Darfur to assess the exposure to the risk to the Covid-19 in these areas, with a third trip planned to El Zurug in North Darfur in the coming days.

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