Government of Japan helps Somalia fight COVID

Japanese funding supports a range of UNDP initiatives to respond to COVID-19

When COVID-19 struck, the Japanese Government was quick to respond, providing millions of dollars to help countries around the world.

These funds have included more than US$1m for UNDP’s work in Somalia to limit infections and help government deal with the social and economic damage inflicted by the virus.

Thanks to this generous support, we have been able to:

• Provide solar powered generators for health clinics serving almost 70,000 people. These generators allow the clinics to keep medicines refrigerated and power lights for when they deliver babies or conduct emergency operations at night.

• Set up billboards and communication campaigns hand-in-hand with local government partners up and down the country to provide essential information on how to prevent infection and what to do if you have symptoms.

• Provide masks, gloves and other supplies for medical facilities in Mogadishu and people living in nearby IDP camps.

• Design new operating procedures for government departments to respond to natural disasters — not just pandemics but also floods, droughts and more — as well as guidelines for how they should work together and allocate responsibilities so that responses can be quicker and more effective.

• Provide PPE and training to police forces along with new guidelines to help minimise the chance of infection during essential police work and keep both police and citizens safe and advocate for the release of more then 1,000 low-risk prisoners from over-crowded jails to stop the virus spreading both inside detention facilities and also, via guards and other staff, into surrounding communities.

• Join hands with religious leaders and local communities to create specialised burial teams so that funerals can be conducted safely, employing local madrassa teachers who were unable to work during the pandemic due to school closures.
• Work with local communities and waste disposal companies to identify safer ways to get rid of used PPE and other medical waste instead of dumping it into the sea or burning it in local communities.

• Provide training and grants for small businesses to help them recover from a downturn in the economy. These businesses, mostly run by women and IDPs, range from fishing to fashion but have all demonstrated a potential for new growth.

• Analyse the socio-economic effects of COVID and provide the most comprehensive assessment available to help everyone, including government, the international community and local groups, plan how to build back better and greener, leaving no one behind.