To prevent the spread of the virus in Salamiyah camp, ACTED provides IDPs with awareness raising, hygiene and food items.
As of 29th March 2020, the Iraqi Ministry of Health has confirmed 547 cases of COVID-19 and 42 fatalities in Iraq[1], including 125 cases and 2 deaths[2] in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Iraq is part of the US$2 billion global humanitarian response plan overseen by the United Nations to fight COVID-19. However, humanitarian actors report that curfews and movement restrictions have an impact on the timely delivery of assistance and the effectiveness of the response, especially at in-camp locations.
ACTED’s response focuses on breaking the virus’ transmission chain. In Salamiyah camp, one of the biggest IDP camps in Iraq, ACTED, as the camp manager, is coordinating with the line Ministries, and UNHCR to provide sufficient quantities of food and ensure generators are fuelled during the lockdown, given that the markets and supply chains have been disrupted. In parallel ACTED has distributed 6,150 hygiene kits, to ensure that the camp residents have the needed supplies, while conducting awareness sessions on hygiene promotion and social distancing. Overall, ACTED plans to assist nearly 15,000 IDPs in the camp, in the scope of the emergency response to COVID-19.
[1] WHO – Iraq: COVID-19, SitRep#8: https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/documents/files/280326_covid19_sitrep_no8.pdf
[2] Government of KRI – Situation Update as of 28/03: https://gov.krd/coronavirus-en/situation-update/
ACTED staff during an NFI distributions, all the more important now that people have reduced access to shops due to lockdown and curfews.