In responding to the ongoing emergency, International Organization for Migration in coordination with the Resident Coordinator Office (RCO), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and through the general support of the Embassy office of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, donated to the Border Police and National Administration of Penitentiaries medical equipment and personal protection supplies in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. This actions have been implemented within a 4-month project with the overall objective of contributing to the Republic of Moldova's efforts in 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.

Mr. Simon Springett, UN Resident Coordinator for Moldova: ”The UN has come together, through the IOM and UNODC project, with the support of the Netherlands to provide the much needed support to the Prisons Administration and in particular to prison hospital nr.16. Personal protective supplies for prison staff, hand soap and sanitizers for prisoners as well as COVID19 related medical equipment for diagnostics and treatment were provided.”

In this regard, IOM Mission to Moldova donated over 403500 Personal Protective Equipment, 22 thermal-scanners, UVC germicidal lamps for sterilizing the air inside waiting rooms, automatic non-contact dispenser, nebulizers predestined for room disinfection, disinfectant mats and travel kits with information leaflet on personal protection, distributed at international checkpoints, medical equipment such as: pulse-oximeters, Elisa Washer, oxygen concentrators, CXR monitors, vaccine refrigerator, 500 rapid tests for the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and over six tons of disinfectant and 2 tons of liquid soap. The final hand-over events have been hosted by the General Inspectorate of Border Police and National Administration of Penitentiaries. The value of the total donation is 156 000 EUR.

Mr. Lars Johan Lönnback, chief of mission IOM : ”Representing IOM, the UN migration agency in Moldova, I would like to emphasize the productive collaboration with the GIBP and ANP and the enormous contribution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the improving of the border security and safe mobility in the context of COVID-19 pandemic.”

Ina Tcaci, UNODC Programme Officer in Moldova: ” In the light of overcrowding in many places of detention, which undermines hygiene, health, safety and human dignity, a health response to COVID-19 in closed settings alone is insufficient there is a need to involve all national and international partners. The assitance offered today ensures access to liquid soap and dezinfectants for all prisons, personal protective equipment for prison staff and medical equipment to ensure diagnostics and treatment of prisoners infected with COVID-19.”

Mr Vladimir Cojocaru, NAP director: ” The penitentiary administration system is grateful for your contribution. With your assistance we’ve managed to increase the capacities of penitentiary institutions to ensure the management control of infection prevention by improving access to the personal protective equipment and for the detection of suspicious cases, WASH consumables, as well as relevant medical devices for saving life related to COVID-19 infection.”

The donation is carried out with the financial support of the Embassy Office of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Chisinau within the project “Enhancing the Republic of Moldova’s COVID-19 preparedness and urgent response capacity in the International Borders and Penitentiaries”. The project activities are accomplished in close coordination with the General Inspectorate of Border Police (GIBP) and National Administration of Penitentiaries (NAP) and as the primary counterparts and with the technical support of the UNODC.