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Partners effectively coordinate to prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 outbreak in the Pacific

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March 2020 - Humanitarian and development partners have established a joint Incident Management Team (IMT) to support the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) preparedness and response efforts in the Pacific. This coordination mechanism has successfully leveraged partners’ capacities and resources, and continues to coordinate their actions to ensure that effective support is provided to national authorities and the affected population.

Since January 2020, the joint IMT has developed and is implementing a six-month Pacific Action Plan for COVID-19 Preparedness and Response based on the 8 pillars of the WHO Operational Planning Guidelines to Support Country Preparedness and Response. The joint IMT is first and foremost an inclusive mechanism that will grow and evolve based on the assessment of the needs to strengthen COVID-19 preparedness and response.

Recognizing the importance of a multi-sectoral and all-of-society approach to the COVID-19 response, the Joint IMT collaborates closely with health sector partners, as well as with partners from other clusters through the Pacific Humanitarian Team regional cluster system. With support from OCHA, all Pacific clusters are now operational in support of COVID-19 preparedness and response.

Through its regular and solid coordination, the team has enabled rapid action in the Pacific. Pacific Island Countries and areas (PICs) in need of expert guidance and resources to strengthen their COVID-19 preparedness and response have seen their requests answered timely. A Pacific toolkit for preparedness and response has been produced and a related training package has already been developed. Furthermore, fifteen technical specialists have been successfully deployed to provide support to 9 PICs.

The joint IMT is characterized by an agile and fast-adaptive approach. Partners regularly share information on identified technical and operational gaps, find flexible solutions and plan accordingly to improve support delivery. On the supplies and logistics side, WHO and UNICEF have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. UNICEF has supported WHO to distribute the basic Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits, and initiated the issuance of supply orders for specimen collection materials from its Supply Division in Copenhagen. In addition, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) currently complements WHO procurement efforts to ensure PPE availability.

Working with partners such as the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and its national societies allows the team to conduct thorough assessments of the general public’s understanding of COVID-19. This knowledge has been successfully leveraged to strategically adapt risk communications messages and products based on current needs of the population. Furthermore, a regional risk communications plan has been developed, and includes products and material that can be adapted for country use.

In an effort to prepare laboratory capacity, WHO and the Pacific Community (SPC) are working to ensure all PICs have a basic package of supplies and appropriate guidance for specimen collection, transport, packaging and shipping. Together, they have already achieved the mapping of referral pathways and requirements for sample collection, transport and testing with five laboratories in the region.

“WHO has been very fortunate to work alongside our humanitarian and development partners to support COVID-19 preparedness and response leveraging each other's strengths to deliver support to the Pacific island countries and areas,” said Sean Casey, Incident Manager. “We cannot afford to work in silos in any emergency and with the partners sitting down with us at the table everyday, we are able to deliver much faster and more effectively.”

Coordinated by WHO, this joint IMT based in the WHO office in Suva, Fiji, currently includes the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the Pacific Community (SPC), the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and World Food Programme (WFP).

Through this IMT, close coordination with Ministries of Health across the Pacific is ongoing, as well as with key partners, including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), International Organization for Migration (IOM), Pacific Island Health Officers’ Association (PIHOA) and United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC).

WHO urges the public to obtain the latest information on COVID-19 from reliable sources, including WHO and national health authorities, and always follow the basic recommended measures to help protect themselves from many infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

The WHO Information Network for Epidemics (EPI-WIN) is targeting tailored information for health care, travel and tourism, business, food and agriculture sectors and is planning to expand audiences over the coming weeks.