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Covid 19

Trócaire thanks Irish Aid for vital COVID-19 support

Never before has the entire world faced a crisis at the scale of the Coronavirus. Countries must work together to defeat the virus – as Dr. Mike Ryan from the World Health Organisation has said, “none of us are safe until all of us are safe”.

Handwashing at Akara Health Centre in Somalia as part of COVID-19 prevention activities. Photo : Trócaire Handwashing at Akara Health Centre in Somalia as part of COVID-19 prevention activities. Photo : Trócaire

Trócaire is proud to be partnering with Irish Aid, the overseas development and humanitarian programme of the Irish Government, to reduce the risks to some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.

Trócaire’s programmes around the world are helping to stop the spread of the virus, as well as providing support to people who are infected.

Irish Aid has provided Trócaire with €230,000 to support this work. Over half of this grant – €125,000 – will fund our health programmes in Somalia. The remaining €105,000 will be used to fund COVID-19 programmes in Myanmar, Ethiopia, Uganda, South Sudan, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Trócaire is the only healthcare provider in a region of Somalia the size of Ireland. Our health clinics treat thousands of patients every day. These clinics are now being scaled-up to deal with the likelihood of a Coronavirus outbreak.

“We have built isolation wards to treat patients with Coronavirus symptoms, as well as purchasing protective equipment for our doctors and oxygen supplies for patients,” explains Paul Healy, Trócaire’s Country Director for Somalia. “This additional funding from Irish Aid will greatly help our response. The people we treat every day are malnourished and living in camps. They are so vulnerable to this virus.”

In the six other countries where Irish Aid funds will support Trócaire, our response is focused on preventing the spread of the virus:

  • More than 100,000 people will receive direct communications advising them how to reduce their exposure and risk
  • More than 50,000 people will benefit from handwashing facilities
  • Radio advertising and posters will be used to spread awareness about the virus and ways to reduce its spread.

“Trócaire and Irish Aid work closely to save and change lives all over the world,” said Trócaire CEO Caoimhe de Barra. “We are in extraordinary times and never before has global solidarity been more important.

“The people we support in these countries are effectively defenceless against the threat of the Coronavirus. Many of them have no handwashing facilities, live in crowded camps and have no access to the medical care required.

“People all over Ireland are responding to this crisis by donating to our life-saving programmes. This additional support from Irish Aid will be vital for keeping the world’s most vulnerable people safe in the weeks and months ahead.”

You can donate online or by phoning:
1850 408 408 (Republic of Ireland)
0800 912 1200 (Northern Ireland).

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