As the world faces its first pandemic in living memory, it is the most vulnerable communities with little or no access to healthcare that will face the greatest consequences and lives lost. Urgent efforts to mobilise learning and resources for infection prevention and control, the provision of personal protective equipment [PPE] to frontline health workers, as well as concentrated efforts on community awareness campaigns, will provide the greatest first line of defence against COVID-19 and save lives.
Many local and grassroot organisations dealing with this crisis [especially those that are not led by medical experts] are struggling to practically translate and filter out the wealth of information available, often full of medical or technical terms.
Using our 19 years of medical expertise and drawing on information and resources from around the world, these four checklists were put together by Doctors Worldwide to provide a starting point for local health projects and facilities in low-resourced settings, who are preparing for COVID-19.
In the absence of a vaccine, humanitarian organisations have a collective responsibility to urgently prepare the local communities, partners and organisations who make up to 90% of the first responders in any worldwide crisis. With governments in lockdown, borders closed and airports grounded, humanitarian organisations are reminded once again that we must fulfil a core role of supporting local partners to stand on their own two feet, and that we must collectively work together as enablers in this worldwide crisis affecting us all.
- Checklist 1 – Prepare: Logistically
- Checklist 2 – Prepare: Medically
- Checklist 3 – Prepare: Infection Prevention, Control & PPE
- Checklist 4 – Prepare: Your Community
You can download the checklist here.
We also offer training on the topics covered in the checklists. To find out more or to get in touch, email us at info@doctorsworldwide.org
Save a Life. Change a Life
