The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has donated critical personal protection equipment (PPE) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) supplies to the government of the Maldives to support ongoing national efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
At a ceremony held at the Ministry of Health, the supplies were handed over to Minister of Health Abdulla Ameen by UNICEF Representative to Maldives Dr. Munir Safieldin. The supplies handed over consists of 150,690 items worth USD 460,000. The supplies include surgical masks, N95 masks, infection control body bags, fog-resistant face shields, protective goggles, surgical gowns, clinical thermometers, hand sanitisers and hand soap.
UNICEF revealed the support was provided is in response to the COVID-19 emergencies such as continuation of learning via distance learning and the safe reopening of schools, continuation of essential health services for children and women including immunisation, growth monitoring, and strengthening and expansion of mental health and psychosocial support services and enhancing the technical support to build the capacity of national social worker force responding to cases involving children and adolescents.
In addition, UNICEF said the support will further assist in technical and financial support to provide timely social protection and strengthening risk communication and community engagement to provide life-saving information and influencing positive behaviours. UNICEF acknowledged the consequences and impact of COVID-19 go far beyond the initially anticipated public health risks associated with a pandemic, and from what is observed globally and in the Maldives, concerns around lack of access to food, unemployment and limited access to essential services would leave a heavy toll on the positive gains the country has achieved over the decades, especially for children.
At the ceremony, Health Minister Abdulla Ameen expressed gratitude for the endless support provided by the UNICEF to the Maldives.