COVID-19 vaccination campaigns have officially been rolled out in over 100 countries and are providing hope. But the pandemic continues and much essential work remains to be done. This week, we highlight a recent selection of WHO’s activities in regions and countries around the world with the support of Gavi, ECHO, Canada, USAID and many other key partners. 

EU and WHO strengthen epidemic preparedness and response to COVID-19 in Botswana

Story published by WHO/AFRO on 26 March 2021.

The WHO country office – in collaboration with the European Union Delegation in Botswana and the Ministry of Health and Wellness – recently launched a 13.6 million Botswana pula (approximately US$ 1.2 million) project to strengthen the country’s epidemic preparedness and response to COVID-19. The project aims to reduce excess illness and deaths due to the current pandemic and other epidemic-prone diseases among high risk populations. The initiative is funded by the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). Additional activities include plans to strengthen preparedness and response structures through the establishment of a National Emergency Operations Centre. ECHO’s generous funding provides a new injection of energy for Botswana’s response to COVID-19 and beyond.

WHO provides new sanitation facilities in Democratic Republic of Congo to strengthen infection prevention with support from Gavi and ECHO

Story published by WHO/AFRO on 5 April 2021.

To better support health authorities in the management of biomedical waste generated in Kinshasa's health centres and to prevent hospital infections, WHO recently provided five incinerators and seven latrine and shower blocks. The new facilities will improve infection prevention and control to protect hospital staff, patients and visitors. Funding mobilized by WHO from Gavi - the Vaccine Alliance and ECHO supported the initiative.

First wave consignment of COVAX COVID-19 vaccine doses arrived in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Story published by WHO/EMRO on 22 March 2021.

Palestine recently received the first shipment of over 60 000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from the COVAX Facility supported by WHO. The vaccine doses were transferred to the Ministry of Health’s vaccine storage facilities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Further consignments of COVAX vaccine doses are planned to be delivered to the occupied Palestinian territory to cover 20% of the population – approximately 1 million people. Doses will follow prioritization criteria designated by the deployment and vaccination plan.

WHO Regional Office for the Americas announces winner of COVID-19 responsible reporting award

Story published by WHO/PAHO on 23 March 2021.

Daphne Ewing-Chown, a Cayman Islands-based journalist, who wrote an article examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health among teenagers, has won the WHO Regional Office for the Americas PAHO/CDB/CBU Award. The award was established to celebrate responsible media coverage of mental health and psychosocial issues during the pandemic. Ms Ewing-Chow was named winner in the print category of the competition, which was open to participants in a virtual training series, ‘Reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic’, hosted by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), in collaboration with the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU). Ms. Ewing-Chow’s article is titled ‘Mental health professionals voice looming concerns for Cayman teens’. The initiative is part of WHO’s wider efforts to promote responsible information sharing and to fight the infodemic that has accompanied the COVID-19 crisis.

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