Speeches Shim
Md. Habib, Md. Jahid, Md. Abual Hossen, and Md. Abul Hossain are four of the unsung heroes in Bangladesh’s rapid response to COVID-19. They are, quite literally, driving the response—every day, all over the capital city. They are the ones who suit up and help collect specimens to track the virus and keep others safe.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) joins the world in commemorating International Day of Families. Today is a reminder that a strong family base is essential for stable and healthy societies to grow and flourish.
Over the past two years, approximately 250 miners have been mining and trading peacefully with the community in Rupa, in the Moroto district of Karamoja. But in March 2020, with the arrival of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the miners—Ugandans from other communities and non-Ugandans from the neighboring countries—were told to stop work and close the mines to comply with the president’s order to close all public activities. Fearing the spread of the virus, the local community accused the miners of hosting relatives and outside visitors. As the situation escalated, miners were forcefully evicted from their properties and their shops, livestock, and personal belongings looted.
Advancement in Vietnam (HAIVN), began implementation on May 6 to improve hospital preparedness for COVID-19 through training, technical assistance, telehealth information sessions, and capacity strengthening in infection prevention and control. While several national hospitals have a key role in managing COVID-19 patients, Vietnam’s clinical strategy decentralizes hospital care to provincial and district hospitals, which are the focus of USAID support through HAIVN. This strategy helps to keep patients closer to home, minimize travel, and distribute the responsibility for care among hospitals. USAID and HAIVN are collaborating with experts from leading national hospitals, provincial departments of health, and infection control societies to assess and strengthen capacities at 30 hospitals in 23 provinces, and have already conducted curriculum development and health worker training sessions.
USAID’s Access for All activity aims to improve PWDs’ access to public places, transportation, and economic and social services; support the development of self-help organizations; and advocate for improved implementation of policies and laws related to PWDs. In response to activity implementation challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, USAID’s Access for All activity has adapted its work plan to include online tools. On May 4-8, USAID, the Disability Research and Capacity Development (a local organization of PWDs), and Ton Duc Thang University conducted a virtual training for 125 social work students. The training provided students with basic knowledge on disability and equality, case management, and application of the asset-based community development (ABCD) approach in practicing social work to support PWDs. The ABCD tool is used to sustainably develop communities by assessing their resources, skills, and experience; organizing the community around issues that move its members into action; and then determining/taking appropriate action.
Comment
Make a general inquiry or suggest an improvement.