United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Sector: Health
Objectives: Support local authorities in providing enhanced healthcare services and increased access to health for vulnerable groups and communities in Libya by strengthening the health care system, enhancing the Ministry of Health’s crisis management capabilities and bolster effective healthcare service by addressing the socio-economic aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beneficiaries (key groups):
Communities of target municipalities, including women, IDPs, migrant and refugees Implementing and other
partners:
Libyan Ministry of Local Governance, municipalities, UNICEF, Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and other national and international partners Donors: European Union, Republic of Korea, Japan, KFW, and Libyan Government Funding required
(USD):
Funding received (USD):
Strengthening Local capacities for Resilience and Recovery (SLCRR) Project:
Phase I - 19,607,400 USD (EU), 500,000 USD (Korea), 300,000 (UNDP) Phase II – 21,045,600 USD (EU)
Phase III - 19,861,200 USD (EU)
Stabilization for Libya (SFL) Programme: $3,328,74
Stabilization to Recovery Transition in Libya Project (START): 2,727,272 USD (Government of Japan)
Rapid Response Facility (RRF): $480,000
Japanese Supplementary Budget (JSB) COVID-19: $1,810,286
CONTACT INFORMATION:
LIBYA TUNISIA
City/Town: Tripoli Tunis
Address Palm City, Janzour Area Cite les Pins, Les Berges du LACII, Immeuble AMI Assurances, 5th floor, Tower A
Head of the office Gerardo Noto – Resident Representative Tel:
Email: [email protected] Contact person for
Health & Nutrition:
Emmanuel MADUIKE, [email protected] Official web site: www.ly.undp.org
OPERATIONAL RESPONSE:
UNDP is currently implementing a number of multiyear/multiphase projects in Libya aimed at supporting local authorities in enhancing provision of basic services at local level and increasing access for most vulnerable groups from host
communities, including IDP, returnees, migrants and refugees. Key progress in the health sector are outlined below:
COVID-19 response
UNDP Libya is supporting civil works and equipment procurement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic through three projects; the Stabilization Facility for Libya (SFL); Stabilization to Recovery Transition (START); and the Strengthening
Local Capacities for Resilience and Recovery Project (SLCRR) projects. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) is responding to a growing volume of requests from the Government of Libya and its Municipalities to help them prepare for, respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing particularly on the most vulnerable population groups.
UNDP’s Three by Three integrated approach globally is concentrated around three immediate priorities:
• Strengthening Health Care Systems
• Inclusive and Integrated Crisis Management Response
• Social and Economic Impact Needs Assessment and Response
Under the Rapid Response Facility (RRF) UNDP Libya aims to provide 1,500 Cepheid Tests/ Cartridges to the Ministry of Health to support their efforts to identify, track and contain the spread of the virus. In parallel, UNDP Libya is assisting young entrepreneurs to find innovative solutions to the emerging COVID-19 crisis. Through the Accelerator Lab, support is being provided to the Libyan National Robotics Team (Libotics) to procure 3D printers and raw materials needed in the production of PPE equipment, which will be given to the Ministry of Health who will in turn distribute to hospitals and healthcare centres that are treating COVID-19 patients throughout Libya. In addition, UNDP Libya is supporting an innovative start-up company made up of US/ Canadian trained Libyan doctors who are working with the Ministry of Health to expand a Telemedicine App so that vulnerable communities can gain access to COVID-19 related healthcare, assistance and support.
On the governance track, UNDP Libya is helping to boost COVID-19 related coordination efforts within the Ministry of Health and between the Ministry and International Organisations engaged in the response to the pandemic. Three UNDP consultants have been deployed to the Ministry of Health and are: (i) working closely with the Ministry’s International Cooperation Office; (ii) coordinating the supply, distributing and use of COVID-19 related medical supplies to areas most in need such as the South; (iii) facilitating Health Sector Coordination meetings; (iv) facilitating coordination and
cooperation between different government entities and international organisations in the provision of COVID-19 related medical support; and (v) engaging in Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RRCE) activities to raise awareness and dispel misinformation about COVID-19. The consultants are also helping to develop the National Response Plan (NRP) for COVID-19 and are acting as a crucial link between the government and the UN Socio-Economic Framework (UNSEF) Taskforce that is coordinating a UN wide response to COVID-19.
The socio-economic impact of COVID-19 has been assessed by the (UNDP) UNSEF Lead Economist who developed a strategic framework for a unified UN response over the coming 12 to 18 months. Under the third priority of UNDP Libya’s COVID-19 response, the UNSEF Lead Economist has worked with the UNDP led UNSEF Taskforce to map all completed, on-going and planned assessments under the following five UNSEF Pillars:
PILLAR 1: Health Services (Lead WHO; Co-Lead UNFPA) PILLAR 2: Social Protection (Lead UNICEF; Co-Lead WFP)
PILLAR 3: Economic Response and Recovery (Lead UNDP; Co-Lead FAO)
PILLAR 4: Macroeconomic Framework (Lead World Bank; Co-Lead UNSMIL – Econ Div.) PILLAR 5: Social Cohesion and Community Resilience (Lead UN Women; Co-Lead UNDP)
The final strategic framework for the UN’s socio-economic response to the impact of COVID-19 includes input from all agencies.
Activities under RRF are to be seen as catalytic and foundational, which will be built upon by activities conducted under the Japan Supplementary Budget (JSB) funded: ‘Supporting an Inclusive and Multi-Sectoral Response to COVID-19 and Addressing its Socio-Economic Impact in Libya’ project (JSB COVID-19).
Under JSB COVID-19, UNDP Libya is supporting municipalities in the west, east and south of Libya by enhancing the health waste management systems in hospital/ healthcare centres engaged in the treatment of COVID-19 patients (in each particular region). In addition, UNDP Libya is taking steps to bolster the power supply in hospitals/ healthcare centres treating COVID-19 patients by providing solar energy systems in order to augment their unsteady supply of electricity.
In response to aforementioned priority to strengthen health care systems, the SFL, SLCRR and START projects engaged in extensive consultations at local level to ensure support to a number of municipalities. There is a total of seventeen projects on-going in response to the pandemic with projected budget requirement of $5,301,247. Of these, 13 are
implemented through the Stabilization Facility, two through START project and two through the SLCRR. Of these, there are eleven (12) equipment procurement transactions and five (5) civil work projects.
Of the civil works projects, four projects will rehabilitate existing hospitals for isolation wards although in one location work is still needed to ensure the conflict sensitivity of the intervention. Three isolations wards are planned with a project in each of the municipalities of Benghazi, Bani Walid, and Derna and will include procurement of beds (20 in each isolation facility) and other material and supplies so that the isolation facilities are immediately operational. Work is expected to start in October to establish a medical oxygen facility in Sebha, which will include installation of some equipment.
Equipment procurement includes procurement and delivery of testing kits and materials, provision of materials and supplies to promote local PPE production through support to local NGO and through private sector as well as ventilators (36 in total) and fifteen ICU ambulances to be distributed to seven different municipalities.
The SLCRR project has supported the rehabilitation of Al-Birkat Health Center in Ghat and Thala allowing for enhanced access to health services for about 25,000 people, including children, women, immigrants, and IDPs. Today, the renovated centre serves as the main facility for conducting COVID-19 tests and receiving potential cases in the Al-Birkat district.
The project has also supported the municipalities with the delivery of critical medical equipment, such as 7 ambulances for Kufra, Murzuq, Hay Al Andalus and Ajdabiya, delivery of one generator to the main hospital in Murzuq; reparation of CT scan machine at Adjabiya Almgarife Central Hospital; as well as through ongoing provision of medical equipment to Sabratha hospital. Additionally, the project plans to purchase two 4WD ambulances to Kufra and a total of 8 intensive care unit ambulances to the following municipalities; Ghat, Mamoura, Benghazi and Derej to enhance their capacity to respond to COVID-19.
Moreover, in partnership with Peaceful Change Initiative (PCi), several initiatives have been implemented such as disinfection of healthcare facilities in Abu Salim, provision of protection and sterilization materials to Tripoli Centre for the Municipality staff and visitors, provision of protective equipment to medical personnel at Sebratha hospital and to Al-Hira medical centre in Esbaia, as well as provision of thermometers for temperature screening at the entrance of public buildings in Sebha municipality. Awareness raising campaigns on COVID19 have been carried out in Brak Ashati and in Benghazi.
The START project supports a total of eight national NGOs in Libya to produce PPE, including face masks, gowns and face shields in Tripoli, Benghazi, Sebha, Ghadamos, Derj and Zliten.
COVERED LOCATIONS:
The below table reflects all health care interventions (completed or ongoing) in the target municipalities as of December 2020 by the UNDP SLCRR and START project:
Municipality Project/Activity Title Type of activity
Tripoli Provision of COVID19 testing kits and cartridges Equipment
Tripoli Strengthening coordination and public health capacity within the Ministry (RRF) Coordination
Tripoli Provision of PPE production equipment Equipment
Bent Beya Provide and install Medical Oxygen Facility for COVID19 Equipment and Civil work
Hai Al Andalus 1 Ambulance ICU Equipment
Hai Al Andalus Ten Freezers > 500Ltr for food Equipment
Hai Al Andalus PPE Production (START) Equipment
Zliten PPE Production (START) Equipment
Sabratha Department of Ambulance and Emergency building for Sabratha Teaching
Hospital (STH) Civil Works
Sabratha Medical equipment for STH: 4 Birthing beds Equipment
Sabratha Sabratha Health centre clinic Civil Works
Sabratha Medical equipment’s for Sabratha Health Center Equipment
Sebha Rehabilitation of the Sabha Al-Ghurda Clinics Compound Civil Works
Sebha PPE production (START project) Equipment
Sebha Provision of Medical equipment Equipment
Bani Walid Rehabilitation of a Health facility and convert it to COVID19 Isolation centre Civil Works Murzuq Murzuq Hospital renovation (specifically renovation of 2 OT rooms) Civil Works Murzuq 2 Gynaecology Obstetrics operating table for the Hospital Equipment
Murzuq 2 ambulance cars for the hospital Equipment
Murzuq 1 Generator 300 kva for the hospital Equipment
Benghazi Garyonis Clinic Civil Works
Benghazi Baghdadi Clinic Civil Works
Benghazi 3 ICU ambulances Equipment
Benghazi PPE production (START) Equipment
Benghazi Rehabilitation of a Health facility and convert to COVID19 Isolation centre Equipment and Civil works
Kufra Atia Kaseh Hospital Rehabilitation Civil Works
Kufra Al Muhtar Medical Clinic, Kufra Civil Works
Kufra Ghadarfai Al Shura Clinic Civil Works
Kufra 2 ICU Ambulances Equipment
Kufra 2 4WD ambulances Equipment
Kufra Rehabilitation of a Health facility and convert to COVID19 Isolation center Civil work
Ajdabiya Repair CT machine at Almgarife Central Hospital Equipment
Ajdabiya 2 ICU Ambulances + 3 ICU Ambulances Equipment
Khoms Supply of Mortuary refrigerator Equipment
Ghat Rehabilitation of Alberkat Clinic Centre for Ghat and Tahala Civil Works
Ghat Echo Machine Equipment
Ghat 2 ICU ambulances Equipment
Ghat Provision of Medical equipment Equipment
Maamoura 1 ICU ambulance Equipment
Derej 2 ICU ambulances Equipment
Derej PPE production (START) Equipment
Ghadamos PPE production (START) Equipment