Coronavirus: Libya gets US$2 million aid from US for pandemic fight

18 Septembre 2020

Tripoli, Libya,  September 18 (Infosplusgabon) - The U.S. government, through the Office of Humanitarian Assistance, has provided an additional US$2 million in funding for UNICEF's multisectoral preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Libya.

Libya has experienced in recent months a rapid spread of the coronavirus with a total number of confirmed infections put at 22,781, of which 10,238 are still active, 12,183 cured and 362 deaths.

In a statement released on Sunday, the UNICEF Office in Libya said that its project aims to help reduce human-to-human transmission and mitigate the effects of the pandemic on children, adolescents and young people, as well as their parents.

It said that UNICEF's interventions target the most vulnerable populations, including migrants, refugees, returnees, internally displaced persons and conflict-affected host communities, focusing on those most affected by COVID-19 in the South and other parts of the country.

It stressed that the assistance received will specifically support the strengthening of risk communication and community engagement in affected and vulnerable geographical areas, facilitate access to community-based child protection services, including specialised rehabilitation services, provide a socio-economic response through multi-purpose cash transfers, and contribute to a mechanism for monitoring socio-economic indicators of children and families in Libya.

According to UNICEF, thanks to the generous funds received from the Humanitarian Assistance Office, approximately one million people, including primary care providers (doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, cleaners), teachers and key business owners and service providers will benefit from the project.

The UN Children's Fund said that in addition, 7,000 girls, boys and women will benefit from child protection services, 300,000 children, parents, caregivers and community leaders will benefit from sensitization initiatives.

Some 300 social workers and partners will receive capacity building and training, and 200 vulnerable children and their families will benefit from multi-purpose cash transfers.

"Child and family monitoring will follow approximately 2,500 families over a six-month period across Libya," it said.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/AZS/GABON2020

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