Stay Up-To-Date with our Sub-Recipients’ Response to COVID-19 20.04.2020

The Global Fund, through its Principal Recipient (PR) Programme of the Asia Regional Health Cluster (ARHC), UNOPS, is working closely with the Ministry of Health and Sports and its Sub-Recipients (SRs) to support their mitigation and response efforts in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.

The Global Fund’s supports are targeting vulnerable populations including prisons, returned migrants, Internally Displaced Persons in Myanmar, through its SRs across the country. Below is a summary of the work that our SRs are addressing immediate needs and respond to COVID-19.

This page will be updated regularly to reflect our SRs’ activities in their response to COVID-19. The names of the SRs are arranged in chronological order.

American Refugee Committee (ARC)

Through the Global Fund’s grant, ARC is implementing TB and malaria activities in Myanmar and other countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region such as Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Here are some activities of ARC’s COVID-19 response.

  • Awareness raising for Malaria Volunteers: One on one training and information sharing sessions were conducted to Integrated Community Malaria Volunteers (ICMV) about COVID-19.
  • Awareness raising for Malaria Volunteers: One on one training and information sharing sessions were conducted to Integrated Community Malaria Volunteers (ICMV) about COVID-19.
  • Fever screening for returnees: In the community level, fever screening and case finding of suspected COVID-19 cases among the returnees who return to the villages in their coverage areas. Health education sessions were also conducted for the returnees.
  • Advocacy Meetings: ARC conducted advocacy meetings with village leaders and business owners (Hotel & Tourism) about COVID-19 awareness and participated in COVID response State level meeting.

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Medical Action Myanmar (MAM)

Through the Global Fund’s grant, MAM is implementing HIV and Malaria programme activities across Myanmar. MAM is working closely with the Ministry of Health and Sports and local communities to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

  • Awareness on COVID-19: MAM has distributed and displayed COVID-19 awareness posters in the public places within their coverage areas.
  • Preventive Measures: MAM has provided hand washing stations at public places and MAM offices in their coverage areas and raised the awareness of handwashing. MAM is implementing infection prevention and control measures (e.g., social distancing) in MAM Project Offices. 
  • Support to the quarantine facilities: MAM donated 1,000 Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) to the MoHS in Kachin State. The LLINs are distributed to the migrant workers who are coming back from China and are quarantined in Waingmaw Township, Kachin State. 

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Myanmar Medical Association (MMA)

Through the Global Fund’s grant, MMA is implementing TB and Malaria programme activities across Myanmar. Here are some activities of MMA’s COVID-19 response.

  • Awareness on COVID-19: MMA has distributed and displayed COVID-19 awareness posters and pamphlets in the General Practitioners’ Clinics to provide information to the patients.
  • Preventive Measures: MMA has distributed surgical masks and IEC materials to local General Practitioners’ clinics and provided training on proper usage of surgical masks to the patients who visited the clinics.

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Myanmar Health Assistant Association (MHAA)

  • Awareness on COVID-19: MHAA has conducted COVID-19 awareness sessions in the community within their coverage areas. Awareness posters and pamphlets were distributed widely in the community. 

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National AIDS Programme (NAP)

The National AIDS Programme (NAP), under the COVID-19 emergency response is planning adequately for the continuation of HIV prevention, treatment and care services nationwide. Coverage areas include all geographies in Myanmar, including the EHOs, targeting vulnerable KPs (PWID, sex workers, MSM) and prison population for HIV/TB prevention, diagnostic and treatment services.

  • COVID-19 emergency response plan for HIV/AIDS services : For prevention services specifically, NAP will continue counseling and treatment for PLHIVs, and PMTCT by ensuring that ARVs and other vital living savings drugs are made available and in hand. Planning for a  multi-month dispensing of drugs is far advanced and will soon be initiated. For Methadone, the PWID population is the target. NAP plans to expand providing take-home dose at the methadone implementation sites. Twenty-five (25) automatic methadone dispensing machines are currently being procured by UNOPS PR to support this initiative..
  • Secure buffer stocks of ARVs/RTKs: NAP is also preparing to increase the buffer stocks of ARVs/RTKs and viral load reagents to be available throughout 2020, and even beyond to early 2021 covering a period of nine months. This is intended to avoid the risk of stock outs. These plans were endorsed At the HIV TSG Meeting held on 3rd April via video link from Naypyidaw. Dr. Htun Nyunt Oo, Programme Manager, NAP chaired the meeting.

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National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP)

The National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) is also planning general malaria response under COVID-19 swiftly. For the general malaria response under COVID-19, WHO is supporting NMCP in developing guidelines on tailoring malaria activities under COVID-19 outbreak. 

  • Support Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)s for Malaria Workers: The NMCP and its partners are keen to protect malaria workers in the field (distributing masks, hand rub, gloves etc.). The fear of coronavirus among health workers can limit malaria test and treatment services and with some Integrated Community Malaria Volunteers (ICMV) deployed in their communities, test & treat services must be continued. The NMCP through its Programme Manager, Dr Aung Thi, in principle has endorsed this approach. It will ensure that while fighting COVID-19, NMCP will continue to conduct malaria activities as best as possible. Such a strategy will ensure that NMCP maintains the gains made thus far, and continue to work towards malaria elimination.

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Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU)

Based in the Mae Sot area on the Thai-Myanmar border, SMRU is providing quality health care to the marginalized populations living on both sides of the border. Through the Global Fund’s support, SMRU is implementing TB & Malaria programme activities in Kayin State.

SMRU is working closely with The Borderline Health Foundation (BHF) and Ethnic Health Organizations (EHOs) in Kayin State to serve the migrant population in the border. SMRU is the only one that has access to prevent the spread of COVID 19 among the communities in Kayin State during this outbreak.

  • Community Engagement: SMRU has been creating and distributing  COVID-19 response posters in local ethnic languages (Karen and Burmese) to dispel any myths related to COVID-19 and provide accurate information on COVID 19. The posters were distributed to SMRU clinics in the border and malaria posts in the Kayin State, where SMRU is implementing a malaria elimination programme. SMRU will next expand this activity to more than 1,200 villages in Kayin State.  
  • Safety for Healthcare Workers: SMRU is providing safety and prevention awareness on COVID-19 with the use of health educational tools which are modified in line with the local context. SMRU is working closely with EHOs to provide protection materials for health workers including surgical masks, soaps and hand sanitizers.
  • TB & Malaria Treatment Services: In order to avoid the distraction of TB and Malaria services, SMRU is taking preventive measures in their clinics. It includes health education on handwashing, new seating plans in OPD for a safe distance,  and awareness sessions to health staff. In close collaboration with the hospital in Myawaddy town and local health authority, SMRU has been preparing for any possible cases of COVID-19. Since there is a restriction of movement because of COVID-19, SMRU is working with the EHOs to send anti-TB drugs to patients’ homes to interrupt their treatment. SMRU is also consulting with local leaders to send the required supplies to avoid disruption of services for malaria programme.
  • COVID-19 diagnostic lab: SMRU lab in Mae Sot on the Thai-Myanmar border is recognized and accredited by the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) Thailand as one of the labs capable of COVID-19 testing. MOPH has recommended to have an official registration and the registration is in progress. 

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World Vision International  

Through the Global Fund’s grant, World Vision is implementing TB programme activities in Dawei, Thanintharyi Region.

  • Volunteer Training: World Vision provides training on COVID-19 to newly selected volunteers to raise awareness of social distancing and handwashing. World Vision is planning to have door-to-door Health education sessions with standard precaution measures.

 

ARC providing training and information sharing session to Integrated Community Malaria Volunteers (ICMV) about COVID-19. Photo: ARC