| Project Detail |
Project Name COVID-19 Emergency Response
Project Number 54155-001
Country Maldives
Project Status Active
Project Type / Modality of Assistance Grant
Source of Funding / Amount
Grant 0687-MLD: COVID-19 Emergency Response
Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund US$ 500,000.00
Strategic Agendas Inclusive economic growth
Drivers of Change Governance and capacity development
Sector / Subsector
Health / Disease control of communicable disease
Gender Equity and Mainstreaming No gender elements
Description
On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern. COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus in the same family that caused the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak in 2003 and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak in 2012. Epidemiological evidence shows that COVID-19 can be transmitted from one individual to another, likely through droplets, personal contact, and contaminated objects. On 11 March 2020, WHO characterized the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. As of 21 March 2020, WHO estimated that more than 266,073 have been infected and over 11,184 deaths have been recorded in 156 countries.
In Maldives, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) reported its first case of COVID-19 on 7 March 2020. As of 19 March 2020, the number of confirmed cases has reached 13 from resort islands and safari vessels, with five patients being hospitalized. Eighty-two persons are in quarantine facilities, 15 in isolation and still under investigation. A State of Public Health Emergency was declared by the Minister of Health for a period of 30 days from 12 March 2020. The National Emergency Operation Centre has been set up as defined in the National Health Emergency Operation Plan and standard operating procedures have been activated with the declaration of public health emergency in the country. A number of response measures are in place including border controls, social distancing, closure of schools and educational establishments, contact screening, the deployment of a rapid response team for risk assessment of the confirmed case settings, quarantine of high-risk cases, and isolation of suspected cases. While the state of emergency imposes measures to strengthen containment of the disease, there is no restriction for tourists to enter the country, in general, except for countries identified by the government of Maldives for temporary suspension of travelers. This increases the risk of imported cases and the spread of the disease across the islands.
Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy
The number of confirmed cases has increased and have spread geographically to a number of islands. The epidemic national projection shows that cases are expected to accelerate by mid-April 2020 and even with current measures the national health system capacity will be inadequate to respond to the needs. Although Maldives health system has a facility at the island level that caters to essential health care, and a hospital at atoll level with 5 25 beds, the system remains highly vulnerable with limited number of trained local health care workforce, largely dependent on foreign doctors and nurses. There are shortages of medicines and medical supplies, causing disruption of services. Since the onset of COVID-19, screening was initiated at ports of entry, contingency supply of personal protective equipment were replenished and rapid response teams were prepared. In addition, one quarantine and one isolation facility have been established. However, as the epidemic spreads across the country, the health system will be further strained.
The main constraints include managing the increasing number of cases that will require hospitalization and critical care and meeting the demand to confirm suspected cases. Key needs include the provision of equipment and facilities for diagnostic and critical care services; identifying and managing severe cases; enhancing the capacity of laboratories; as well as health care waste management. The government needs support to augment its limited response capacity and constrained financial and human resources to ensure effective and timely life-saving efforts.
HPA is leading the response. It has, in close collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority and the Ministry of Tourism, led the national contingency planning process involving all relevant government sectors, private sector, and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) such as the Maldivian Red Crescent (MRC). In its letter dated 8 March 2020, the Ministry of Finance reached out to ADB seeking support to complement government initiatives in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak.
ADBs support will ease the governments immediate financial, logistic, and other constraints to meet immediate relief needs and deliver appropriate medical services where required. Given the unpredictable nature of the situation, flexibility is required in the design of any support along with close coordination with relevant partners providing support. Based on the governments request and HPAs prioritization, funds are needed to urgently support procurement of diagnostic equipment, materials for critical care facilities including intensive care unit beds, and personal protection and other key medical equipment. Other needs may be identified as the situation evolves in the next few weeks.
The proposed activities include the procurement of emergency medical goods and supplies and other initial support required for dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. These proposed activities which will be financed by the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) are aligned with WHOs Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan for COVID-19. APDRF will complement other ADB support and coordinate with development partner interventions. Flexible and expeditious procurement approaches, including those specified in the Implementation Guidelines for the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Facility and consistent with paras. 16 17 of Operations Manual Section D7/OP for disaster and emergency assistance, will be followed. The procurement of goods and supplies will be coordinated with other technical agencies (such as United Nations agencies) to avoid duplication of supply. Given the need for flexibility, procurement may be outsourced to identified United Nations agencies which have stronger links to the supply market. |
