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Libya

Mid-month (1-15 September) Health Sector Operational Update, Libya

Situation Report
Source
Posted
Originally published

COVID-19

Pillar 1: Coordination, Planning, Financing and Monitoring

WHO:

  • Prepared and disseminated two weekly and one monthly epidemiological update.

  • Conducted two weekly COVID portfolio award meetings with concerned technical officers and award managers.

  • Assessment and coordinated with EMRO to support AMR national reference lab with necessary most needed equipment and supplies in Tripoli, as well as three AMR surveillance sites across the country.

IMC:

  • Coordination with relevant authorities such as the NCDC, PCHI and MOH are ongoing. Activities pertinent to COVID19 preparedness and response are implemented through the support of BHA, EUTF and GIZ.

TDH:

  • For activities related to the COVID-19 response and vaccine campaign roll-out, coordination with key Local Authorities and IO (NCDC, MOH, UNICEF, IOM) is ongoing.

IOM:

  • Following the discussions in the Migration Health Sub Working Group on 30 August, IOM and the Ministry of Health (MOH) conducted a technical working group meeting to prepare a micro plan for initiating vaccination for migrants and refugees in Libya. A total of 42 health sector partners, including government officials from MOH and NCDC, NCDC vaccination focal points representing 13 districts, as well as key partner agencies such as UNHCR, WHO, MSF, IRC, IMC and GIZ participated in the meeting. In the meeting, NCDC agreed to write official letters to DCIM and the Ministry of Interior/ vaccination centers in each municipality for approving the vaccination campaigns to include the migrant and refugee populations. The kick-off campaigns are envisaged by the end of September at IOM Hai Alandalus and UNHCR CDC offices, followed by the mass campaigns targeting the detention centres (DCs) in the west and east Libya, starting from early October.

  • Following the discussions in the Migration Health Sub Working Group on 30 August, IOM and the MOH conducted a technical working group meeting to strengthen the surveillance mechanism through the expansion of the EWARN system in the detention facilities. A total of 31 health partners, including government officials from MOH, NCDC and DCIM, as well as key partner agencies such as UNHCR, WHO, MSF, IRC and EU delegation participated the meeting. In the meeting, participants discussed the reporting focal points for each functioning detention centres (DCs) managed by the DCIM. Two training on EWARN system are planned in the end of September and mid-October.

Pillar 2: Risk communication, community engagement (RCCE) and infodemic management

WHO:

  • Attended the bimonthly UNCG meeting focusing on the latest vaccine updates in Libya. WHO provided the latest input on the COVID-19 and vaccine situation in Libya. The UNCG is tackling any challenges with vaccine uptake and hesitancy through collective media updates - planning is ongoing.

  • Attended RCCE Country meeting on Vaccine roll-out and uptake. RCCE countries can attend the vaccine hesitancy package training and the upcoming RCCE joint consultation sessions with UNICEF. WHO will be taking part in the upcoming training.

  • Followed up with NCDC to support disseminating key messages on COVID-19 preventative measures and vaccines through mass media, social media, and radio health channels.

  • Ongoing coordination with comms team at NCDC to produce eight radio segments 2 TV spots on COVID-19 preventive measures and COVID-19 vaccines during September/October 2021.

  • Developed a vaccination awareness Q&A on COVID-19 vaccines and shared them with NCDC.

  • Attended the EU COVID-19 taskforce meeting and provided them with updates regarding the pillars.

  • Attended follow up meeting with head of the head of University of Tobruk and conducted field visit to Faculty of Education at the University of Tobruk to supervise the implementation of the COVID-19 precaution during the final exams.

  • Presented WHO in the scientific day at University of Tobruk about the new variant of COVID _19 and prepare to conduct awareness campaign in the city. • Developed COVID-19 health promotion messages and posted them on the WCO's social media platforms (in Arabic and English) about WHO's COVID-19 activities available at https://twitter.com/WHOLIBYA; https://www.facebook.com/WHOLIBYA

IMC:

  • Maintained information dissemination activities with regard to C-19 in its target locations through community health workers and mobile medical units as well as through social media the IMC COVID-19 Libya Facebook Page. Messages are aligned to WHO/MoH, UNICEF as well as other inter-agency RCCE messesing. Within the period reported, there were 1,614 community members reached through awareness sessions.

TDH:

  • Continued coordination with NCDC to support a campaign emphasizing the need of COVID-19 vaccination and to promote key preventative actions through the distribution of printed materials, social and mass media spots. The DRCCE's plan has been finalized and is going to start by the end of September.

  • Coordination with IOM and IRC are ongoing to support and integrate TDH RCCE activities within the discussion on the non-Libyan vaccination roll out.

  • Coordination with UNICEF is ongoing, particularly to integrate and use UNICEF-developed COVID-19 awareness package in TDH's operational area (Tripoli, Ghat, and Ubari), in order to harmonize messages.

UNICEF:

  • Supported the Ministry of Health and NCDC COVID-19 mass campaign in both Misratah and Sabha through distribution of a total of 100,000 leaflets, 80 vests, 80 caps, 40 roll-up stands, 10 billboards, 30 office flags, 80 ID card holders. The leaflets are estimated to reach a total of 250,000 people. In the south, UNICEF together with NCDC public health emergency teams, conducted meetings with mayors, local NGOs, local representative of the Awkaf (Ministry of Religious Affairs), and vaccination centers to answer questions about COVID-19 vaccination and raise awarenessand demand in Ghrefa, Wadi Utbah, Bent Bayah, and Traghen. In total, at least 37,000 people are estimated to have been reached through flyers, mosques and imam on Fridays, through social media, and local activitists, Red Crescent and scouts.

GIZ:

  • A series of workshops with a total of 59 key municipal stakeholders (15% women) including spokespersons representing IDPs and migrants on improved access to COVID-19 testing, treatment and vaccination services for vulnerable groups was concluded in Nalut and Brak.

IOM:

  • Medical team conducted 122 outreach campaigns and awareness raising sessions in Sebha, Ubari, Tripoli, Zwara, Bani Waleed and Benghazi. A total of 3,813 migrants improved their awareness and knowledge of the COVID-19 prevention methods and health seeking behaviors when having the suspected symptoms.

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