UNICEF ANGOLA: COVID-19 Response Interventions. Issue # 2

Issued the following announcement on April 24.

Background

On 21 March, the Ministry of Health of Angola announced its first two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. As of 20 April, Angola has reported a total of 24 confirmed cases of COVID-19 (16 active), with six recovered and two deaths.

Since then, a declaration of a state of emergency has been activated on 27 March resulting in the application of a twoweek lockdown, up to 11 April along with other restrictive measures. However, based on the epidemiological evolution of the coronavirus in Angola, on 9 April, the state of emergency was revised and extended for additional 15 days that is, until 26 April 2020.

In February, the Government of Angola had developed a National Contingency Plan to control the Coronavirus epidemic (2019-NcoV). Under the leadership of the government (Secretary of the State for Public Health), in coordination with WHO and other UN agencies, Angola Country Office (ACO) is supporting the sectoral preparedness and response plans to COVID19 focusing on: (i) coordination; (ii)risk communication and community engagement; (iii) infection prevention and control;

(iv) continuity of health care (also including nutrition); (v) continuous access to services (education and child protection); and (vi) social policy (cash transfer and social services referral). In addition, UNICEF and other UN agencies and donors have joined efforts to mobilize resources for COVID-19 response and preparedness initiatives.

UNICEF Response

UNICEF’s response is aligned with the Global Humanitarian Response and the Country Preparedness and Response Plans (National and Regional Coordination Mechanisms) on COVID-19. ACO is working with key line ministries, including Ministry of Health, Education, Social Action and the National Institute for Children to reach 3,830,5331 people with integrated interventions to (a) limit human-to-human transmissions; (b) identify, isolate, and care for patients early; (c) risk communication and community engagement-RCCE and (d) minimize social and economic through multisectoral partnerships.

ACO is supporting the government with the development of the national and provincial (Luanda) RCCE strategy targeting 15.6 million people, setting up a cash transfer programme targeting 400,000 families, development of the protocols for nutrition under COVID-19 context and distribution of critical WASH supplies for infection prevention and control, continuous education access through alternative modes such as TV/Radio education instruction, distribution of workbooks and online learning. Programmatically, ACO COVID-19 interventions include the following:

Health

▪ Translation and adoption of the National Directorate of Public Health (DNSP) COVID-19 flowcharts and protocols for pregnant women, delivery and post-partum services;

▪ Review approaches to continue provision of routine maternal and newborn health services during COVID-19 pandemic;

▪ Development of e-learning training packages for ANC, delivery and infection control in the context of COVID-19;

▪ ACO has procured protective and critical supplies strengthen infection prevention and control, including 8,700 different masks, 150, infra-red thermometers, 2,500 gloves, 2,500 liters of hand sanitizer

Original source can be found here.