The overall objective of the project is to support the Government of Moldova in the procurement of critical medical protection equipment for health professionals in hospitals, emergency services and primary care systems in the current COVID-19 crisis, which would benefit men and women equally.

In the conditions of the current crisis, the Government of Moldova has addressed numerous requests to the international community to support the country’s emergency response. These relate mainly to medical procurement, considering there are limited national reserves of medicines, first-aid equipment necessary to tackle the COVID-19 disease as per the medical protocols, as discussed during meetings between the Government, the UN family and development partners and having a regular dialogue with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection and WHO. As per the extensive list of emergency medical needs (), which has been submitted by the Government recently, the most stringent needs of the healthcare sector range from health workers’ protection equipment to ventilators, concentrators and related accessories throughout the country, including the Transnistrian region.

Switzerland, together with WHO and UNDP, decided to support urgent measures taken by Moldovan authorities to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 on both banks of Nistru river. To this end, an additional amount of CHF 570’000 was allocated by Switzerland for the current phase of the project.

UNDP: Procurement of ten mobile ventilators for intensive care units along with additional personal protective equipment for frontline health care staff.

WHO:

• Support the MHLSP and the National Agency for Public Health to coordinate and monitor the COVID19 response actions, and to ensure proper communication.
• Strengthening capacities of primary healthcare and mother & child healthcare institutions from both banks of the Nistru river to prevent infection and implement control measures.
• Rapid assessment of core components of infection prevention and control on the right bank of Nistru.
• Development of mechanisms for mental health and psychological support for health workers during and after the outbreak; guidelines and virtual training for psychologists and non-medical staff.

UNDP Moldova will organize the procurement process in coordination with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection (MoHLSP) and WHO, while the items’ dispatch to beneficiary institutions will be ensured by the MoHLSP. As a result of the procurement of protection equipment for healthcare workers, the needs of such types of equipment will be covered for up to 1 month (depending on the COVID 19 crisis evolution).