Enhancing the Republic of Moldova's covid-19 preparedness and urgent response capacity in the international borders and penitentiaries

The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health, socioeconomic, political, human rights and mobility crisis that has resulted in nearly 16 million cases and the death of more than half a million people and has severely impacted national economies worldwide. 

Frontline health workers, the majority of whom are women, are more exposed to infection. The Infection prevention and control and preparedness for COVID-19 recommend the strictly use of PPEs to all first-line workers, with a strong call to prioritize health care workers. The probability of infection of frontline staff is three times higher than the general population. On the other hand, non-health front line workers (e.g. national police, border police, prisons staff, escort staff, emergency service, etc.) are also at high risk of infection and passing on the virus.

In responding to the ongoing emergency, IOM in coordination with the RCO and UNODC proposes a 4-month project with the overall objective of contributing to the Republic of Moldova's efforts to implement the urgent COVID-19 preparedness and response plan to halt further transmission of COVID-19 and mitigate the impact of the outbreak in the country. 

To achieve this objective, the project activities will enhance the capacities of the border police and penitentiary institutions to ensure infection prevention control management by improving access to personal protective equipment (PPEs), WASH supplies, fever detection equipment, as well as relevant lifesaving medical devices against COVID-19 infection.

The project activities will be implemented in close coordination with the General Inspectorate of Border Police GIBP and National Administration of Penitentiaries NAP under the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) as the primary counterpart. 

Beneficiaries: General Inspectorate of Border Police (GIBP); National Administration of Penitentiaries (NAP)

Partners: Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova; WHO

Donor: The Embassy of the Netherlands

Budget: 200 000 EURO

Duration: 4 Months (01.09.2020- 01.01.2021)