Coronavirus: UN Facilitates Aid to Abkhazia
The World Health Organization (WHO) has facilitated the shipment of medical equipment and medicines to Abkhazia, following an expert delegation visit to Abkhazia last 18-20 March 2020. A member of the delegation, the UNDP Representative, noted that this support was made possible thanks to the assistance of all UN agencies and to the funding provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development. The WHO experts were in Abkhazia for 2 days, examining laboratories and meeting with the Ministry of Health and at the Sanitary and Epidemiological Station. Officially, Abkhazia has registered only one case of the virus, but as there is almost no testing, it is impossible to confirm what the real situation is.
Below is an article published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia
The Abkhaz Foreign Minister met with the delegation of the World Health Organization on Wednesday, March 18,2020. The delegation includes Silvio Domente, the WHO representative, Vasily Esenamanov, the WHO Emergency Preparedness Program Coordinator, Radu Kojokaru, the WHO Laboratory Expert, Abdubu Marufov, the Expert on Prevention of Nosocomial Infections and Luis Vinton, the UNDP Representative.
Daur Kove expressed concern on the current situation in the world related to the spread of coronavirus infection and also expressed hope for an early resolution of the problem.
“The world situation requires the coordinated actions from us. I am sure that we will achieve the certain results if we work together,” the Minister noted. “It is very important for us that the WHO recommendations for the prevention and spread of coronavirus are presented to management so that we can make decisions and act in accordance with the requirements and norms that will be prescribed on the basis of these recommendations,” Kove said.
Luis Vinton, the UNDP Representative told the Minister how support will be provided to Abkhazia in the fight against coronavirus: these are consultations of the experts from the World Health Organization and provision of medicines.
Vinton also noted that this support was made possible thanks to the assistance of all UN agencies and USAID.
“Taking into account what is happening in the world, this is a major achievement that we were able to bring experts of such a high level to Abkhazia today as well as a certain amount of medical equipment and medicines.
We managed to bring with us more than 500 personal care kits, more than 600 liters of antiseptics and about 500 liters of antibacterial soap,” the UNDP representative noted.
Vasily Yesenamanov, the WHO Emergency Preparedness Program Coordinator emphasized that the main task for experts now is to determine the basic preparedness of Abkhazia to respond to primary imported cases of coronavirus.
The WHO experts emphasized the paramount importance of protecting healthcare providers as well as the importance of taking preventive measures such as washing hands and avoiding crowds.
The WHO experts will be in the Republic of Abkhazia for 2 days, during which time laboratories will be examined, meetings will be held at the Ministry of Health and at the Sanitary and Epidemiological Station. The WHO report will be made based on the results of the work.
