March 30,2023 (ALI SABIEH, Djibouti): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in collaboration with United Nation Higher Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), today, donated the procured SARS-COV-2-Ag RDT for refugee camps, in Ali – Sabieh, Djibouti.
On behalf of IGAD Executive Secretary, Dr Workneh Gebeyehu and Director for Health and Social Development Division, Madam Fathia Alwan , a Senior Advisor for Health program, Dr Ahmed Hassan, handed over the covid-19 rapid test to deputy Director of Ali Sabeih regional hospital Mr Mohamed Miguil.
Dr Ahmed explained that the rapid test covid-19 donation from IGAD and UNHCR to Djibouti refugee camps under the IGAD Global Fund Regional Tuberculosis Grant to support the prevention efforts against COVID 19.pandemic on vulnerable groups such as refugees, migrants and local community.
Mr Hamdiata DIALLO, Head of Office of UNHCR-Ali Sabieha, thanked IGAD on his part and urged that the materials be preserved and used wisely.
The deputy Director received the donation in the presence of Mr. Hassan Hussein, the coordinator for refugee health at MoH Djibouti and Hamdiata DIALLO Head of UNHCR Office for Djibouti refugee camps under IGAD Global Fund F Regional TB grant.
Mr Mohamed Miguil has thanked the senior official of IGAD for this offer and he promised to hand it over to the various refugee sectors of the Ali-Addeh, Holl-Holl and MARKAZI camps.
The visibility event is aimed to make aware the stakeholders and public about the availed COVID-19 rapid test kits for refugees and host communities with the support of the GF-IGAD grant, including, the intervention visible and increase utilization of the rapid tests including the bi direction screening/testing for TB and COVID-19 and to create the visibility of the grant and partnership.
It is stated on the occasion that the C19RM funding request was developed, mainly, to support the prevention, control and containment of COVID-19 and impact mitigation for TB programs in the refugee camps/settlements in the East Africa region. In addition it also aims to support protection of community health workers in the refuge settings, including, bi-directional screening/testing for TB and COVID-19 in TB diagnostic and treatment health facilities in the refugee camps/settlements and to improve access to COVID-19 diagnostic and testing services in the refugee camps/settlements.
Budget for the various activities funded from the IGAD Global Fund F Regional TB grant.
The targets of the visibility event are country Coordinating mechanisms, commission of refugees, MOH, UNHCR, implementing partners in the refugee camps and representatives of refugees.
Based on the distribution plan each UNHCR country office is expected to distribute the procured SARS-COV-2 Ag RDT to all refugee camps/settlements in the respective country.
It is known that the IGAD developed the Covid- 19 Response mechanism (C19RM) funding request through participatory and consultative approach, among IGAD, UNHCR (regional office, Djibouti, Sudan, South Sudan & Uganda), Agency for Refugee and returnee Affairs (ARRA), Ethiopia and Kenya Red Cross society (KRCS) was conducted on April 2021.
It’s to be recalled that the IGAD together with UNHCR (Djibouti, Sudan, South Sudan & Uganda), Refugee and Returnee services, Ethiopia and Kenya Red Cross Society has been implementing global Fund supported TB-HIV grants in refugee camps/settlements in the East African region since October 2016.
