Doha: Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has implemented a COVID-19 response project in Liberia, with the aim of supporting the government in the fight against the spread and infections of COVID-19. Under the project, several activities were executed for the benefit of 28,417 people in four districts (Buchanan, Kakata, Tubmanburg, and Paynesville), in cooperation with the Liberian National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) and local partners.

The $20,000 project involved deploying 20 volunteers to carry out health promotion and social mobilization actions. These volunteers were trained under the ongoing measles operations with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The number of beneficiaries is around 25,000 women, people with underlying health problems, health workers, and others.

The volunteers began health promotion, social mobilization, and mass awareness activities in the four locations. They are mobilizing communities with sound trucks. They are visiting disabled homes, orphanages, and markets among other places to promote vaccination, testing, social distancing, face masks, and handwashing. The vaccine promotion exercises provided clarifications on misconceptions and myths amongst community members on vaccine hesitancy.

LNRCS worked closely with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) throughout these activities. Volunteers’ actions enhanced vaccine uptake and scaleup among the population. Printing of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials was completed, including posters and banners used in the ongoing awareness sessions within the target communities.

The MHPSS Call Center provided online (mobile) psychological first-aid (PFA) assistance for 117 persons suffering from COVID-19 stress. The callers positively interacted and benefited from the mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services provided by the center.

In the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) aspect, hygiene materials were procured and delivered and will be distributed within days to vulnerable persons with disabilities, older people, and persons with existing health conditions in the project locations. Assessments were conducted in the four project areas to gather the data of people to be assisted (660 families, or 3,300 persons).

Source: Qatar Red Crescent Society