3 April 2020 - The Congo is already severely weakened by years of political instability, natural disasters and structural inequalities. Today, the population is also preparing to face the Covid-19 threat. 19 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed at the end of March - a figure that is still low, but in the face of which the government has declared a state of health emergency. Today, the prospect of a humanitarian crisis is being seriously considered.
In order to respond to the needs in the Republic of Congo, ACTED is already carrying out activities which aim at ensuring the early recovery of populations, contributing to economic development, fighting against violence, notably gender-based violence, and protecting the environment and biodiversity. Emergency interventions as well as development initiatives (rehabilitation of infrastructures, fight against food insecurity, promotion of access to water and support to rural populations’ livelihoods) are impacted by the spread of the virus.
ACTED is now adapting its activities by respecting hygiene rules, limiting the presence of its teams in the intervention areas and organizing door-to-door distributions and sensitization. In addition to these mitigation measures, ACTED seeks to develop projects to improve access to water, in particular in health centres, to promote hygiene practices and to support the most vulnerable in the face of the socio-economic impact of the crisis, notably by supporting local markets.