The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 15 May 2020
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1:41:52
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MP4
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862.8 MB
COVID-19: Situation in Rohingya camps and in Bangladesh
Andrej Mahecic, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that UNHCR and partner organizations had further intensified their COVID-19 response in the Rohingya refugee camps in the Cox’s Bazar area of Bangladesh, following the first confirmed case of coronavirus among the refugee population yesterday. Since March, UNHCR and partners had been supporting the Government of Bangladesh primarily in COVID-19 preparation and prevention efforts. With this first confirmed case, response mechanisms had now been activated and would require additional international support. According to the Government of Bangladesh, one Rohingya refugee had tested positive for COVID-19 in the Kutapalong refugee settlement in Bangladesh. In addition, one member of the local Bangladeshi host community had also tested positive. Testing began in the Cox’s Bazar District in early April. As of yesterday (14 May), 108 refugees had been tested. There are serious concerns about the potentially severe impact of the virus in the densely populated refugee settlements sheltering some 860,000 Rohingya refugees. Another 400,000 Bangladeshis lived in the surrounding host communities. These populations were considered to be among the most at risk globally in this pandemic. No effort must be spared if higher fatality rates were to be avoided in overcrowded sites with limited health and water and sanitation infrastructure.
A full briefing note is available here.
Marixie Mercado, for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said UNICEF was preparing a 210-bed Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Isolation and Treatment Centre. The first 90 beds would be ready by May 22 and the rest by 30 May 2020. While construction of the 210 bed facility was underway UNICEF, was converting a Diarrhea Treatment Centre into a 30-bed Isolation and Treatment Centre. This was scheduled to be complete by 16 May, but a little more time was needed to put the human resources and medical supplies in place. Rohingya volunteer teachers had reached over 100,000 refugee households with school-age children (55 per cent of families in the camps) with information about caregiver-led home-based learning. So far, some 35,000 children were engaged in home-based learning activities. Crucially, UNICEF was making sure that children have access to life-saving information on protecting themselves and their communities against infection, through radio broadcasts and Meena cartoons broadcast at service points in the refugee camps and on TV in host communities. It was working closely with a network of 650 trained community mobilizers including 200 religious leaders and volunteers to get this crucial information to those who need it.
Elisabeth Byrs, for the World Food Programme (WFP), said COVID-19 threatened to reverse development gains made by Bangladesh over the past five decades. The middle-income country with already overstretched health systems, was battling the spread of the crippling virus. 40 million people in Bangladesh already lived in poverty and a significant drop in income and consumption among the vulnerable had the potential to push millions more into poverty.
The COVID-19 virus could be deadly, but hunger was equally deadly. To ensure the most vulnerable are not left behind in the response to this pandemic, WFP urgently needed 320M$: US$200 million for its COVID-19 response in Bangladesh and an additional 120M$ for Rohingya response. Funding for the Rohingya response remained critical to ensure food security for almost 860,000 Rohingya refugees living in Cox’s Bazar. The Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar were among the largest and most overcrowded in the world, making them extremely vulnerable to the global pandemic.
Paul Dillon, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that on 5 April, IOM’s Director-General António Vitorino had stated the following: “Based on decades of experience in camp management and migration health, we see the arrival of COVID-19 in camps as an inevitability, not a possibility, and have been preparing with this in mind.” The COVID-19 preparations in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar had been a genuine joint operation between the UN and other humanitarian partners. At this time, IOM’s 1,200 staff were focusing their efforts on Health Infrastructure, WASH activities, Risk Communications and Contingency Planning. IOM was preparing 250 Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Isolation and Treatment Centres beds. They would come on-line shortly. Access to clean water was a challenge in many of the 1,100 camps and camp-like settings the IOM manages globally. In Cox’s Bazar, 854 handwashing units and 310 “tippy taps” had been installed in communal areas, including all distribution points and an additional 120 backpack sprayers were provided to enhance disinfection activities.
Responding to questions, Mr. Mahecic said testing was conducted by the Bangladeshi authorities and had been ongoing for six weeks. There were no recorded COVID-19 cases in detention centres so far. The conditions in detention centres were poor and UNHCR had called for asylum seekers who were detained to be released in host communities.
COVID-19: Situation in Libya
Andrej Mahecic, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that, amidst deteriorating security conditions, as well as restrictions on movement due to COVID-19, UNHCR had provided emergency assistance to some 3,500 refugees and internally displaced Libyans during the last two weeks. The assistance package had helped some 1,600 urban refugees, more than 700 refugees being held in detention and close to 1,500 displaced Libyans in different sites across Libya, and included one month’s worth of food and hygiene kits. Refugees had told UNHCR staff that they were desperate for help. Many had been supporting themselves through daily labour, which has had to stop because of the curfew and other restrictions related to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. A snapshot survey by the Mixed Migration Centre suggests some 75 per cent of refugees and migrants had lost their jobs in March and April. Before Ramadan, some had said they could only afford to eat one meal per day. Others had formerly received extra assistance from relatives through international money transfers but were now struggling as this had stopped in recent weeks.
A full briefing note is available here.
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), added that on the previous day, the Spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General had reiterated his call for all parties to the conflict in Libya to do everything in their power to uphold their responsibility to protect civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law and humanitarian principles. In addition, while donors had been generous, a boost in funding to continue humanitarian programmes was urgently required. As of 14 May, the Libya Humanitarian Response Plan, which required $130 million, was only 14 per cent funded.
COVID-19: Situation in Central America
Andrej Mahecic, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), warned that an escalating situation of chronic violence and insecurity, coupled with COVID-related restrictions, was risking lives and exacerbating hardship for tens of thousands of people in the north of Central America. Violence had forced some 720,000 people in the region to flee their homes, as of the end of last year. Almost half of them were now displaced within their own country, including some 247,000 people in Honduras and some 71,500 in El Salvador, while others had fled across borders. Today, despite COVID-related lockdowns in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, internally displaced people (IDPs) and community leaders reported that criminal groups were using the confinement to strengthen their control over communities. This included the stepping up of extortion, drug trafficking and sexual and gender-based violence, and using forced disappearances, murders, and death threats against those that did not comply.
A full briefing note is available here.
Responding to questions, Mr. Mahecic said there were at least 270 reported COVID-19 cases amongst refugees and migrants from Venezuela. He would later send figures on COVID-19 cases in other countries to the journalists.
COVID-19: Vaccination in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Marixie Mercado, for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said routine vaccination rates for children had declined between 2 and 10 per cent in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in January and February this year, compared with the same period in 2019, mostly due to poor cold chain systems, low coverage and vaccine stock-outs. In all, 86,905 children had not received the oral polio vaccine; 84,676 children were not vaccinated against measles; and 107,010 had not received the yellow fever vaccine in the first two months of the year. This was particularly alarming in a country where just over one-third (35 per cent) of children aged 12-23 months are fully vaccinated before their first birthday. The DRC could potentially see more polio cases and see a resurgence of measles and yellow fever epidemics. Beyond vaccination, COVID-19’s disruption of health systems and access to food could mean tens of thousands of additional child deaths in DRC. Despite the emergence of COVID, UNICEF had supported the Government of the DRC to keep vaccinating children in critical outbreak areas, including Ituri, North Kivu and Equateur province. To do that safely, UNICEF also provided infection prevention and control kits including gloves, masks, thermometers, soap and water, and hand sanitizer. UNICEF was urging the Government of the DRC to conduct catch-up campaigns and intensify immunization activities across the country.
Responding to a question on Ebola, Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organization (WHO) said there had been a small flare-up, but vaccines supplies were sufficient, and there had not been cases in several days.
Ms. Mercado said there was a growing reluctance amongst mothers to get their children tested because of false rumors related to COVID-19, even if the vaccines were not related to the coronavirus.
COVID-19: Humanitarian outlook in the Sahel
Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said eight United Nations aid agencies and NGOs working in Africa's Sahel region had warned that 24 million people, half of them children, now needed life-saving assistance and protection. That equaled one person in five of the total population of 120 million in the Sahel and was the highest number ever recorded. The agencies yesterday had presented their humanitarian overview of the region covering humanitarian needs in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, north-east Nigeria, Chad and northern Cameroon. The multi-layered crisis was triggered by a deterioration in security that had led to displacement within countries and across borders, rising hunger, inequality, and the direct and indirect consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a reported rise in gender-based violence. There were 4.5 million internally displaced people and refugees in the region; 12 million people who were food insecure at crisis and emergency levels; and 1.6 million severely malnourished children in the Sahel. Agency programmes for this year aimed to reach 17 million people and require US$2.8 billion. Only 18 per cent of this had been received so far.
The Overview of Humanitarian Needs and requirements for the Sahel Crisis is available here.
COVID-19: World Health Assembly and other COVID-19 related matters
Fadela Chaib, for the World Health Organization (WHO) said that, this year, due to measures to prevent COVID-19 transmission, the 73rd session of the World Health Assembly would be held as a virtual meeting for the first time ever. The agenda had been limited to two days, starting on Monday 18 May at noon and concluding later than Tuesday 19 May. The Assembly would be webcast live.
Responding to questions on Taiwan, Ms. Chaib recalled that the World Health Assembly was a meeting of Member States, and that WHO acted as the secretariat for the Assembly. Member States could decide which matters they wished to discuss, bearing in mind that the world was facing a global pandemic.
Responding to a question on ultra-violet light, Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organization (WHO) said what exactly killed the virus had yet to determined. Ultra-violet light could cause damage to skin and other problems. The WHO did not, therefore, recommend the use of ultra-violet light to treat COVID-19.
On the impact of air pollution on people’s ability to recover from COVID-19, Ms. Harris said that a causal link could only be scientifically established after long-term studies were conducted. It was clear, however, that people with lung diseases were more vulnerable to COVID-19.
On the expulsion of four WHO officials from Burundi, Ms. Chaib said WHO was committed to working with Burundi and supporting the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. WHO had been in communication with the government of Burundi to clarify and understand this decision.
On vaccines, Ms. Chaib said that on 24 April, WHO, together with global health actors, private sector partners and other stakeholders had launched the Access To COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a global collaboration to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to new COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines. The issue was not only to accelerate the development and availability of new COVID-19 tools, it was also to accelerate equitable global access to safe, quality, effective, and affordable COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, and thus to ensure that in the fight against COVID-19, no one was left behind. On 4 May, during the European Union’s international pledging conference, some €7.4 billion had been pledged for research and development for vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics, in a powerful and inspiring demonstration of global solidarity
Announcement: World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
Monika Genher, for the the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), said the theme of this year’s World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, which would be held on 17 May, was Connect 2030: ICTs for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ITU would hold a high-level virtual event on 18 May on the role of information and communication technologies to deliver the SDGs and at the same time address COVID-19. To connect all to a better world, ITU and its 1000+ members had a common strategy – the Connect 2030 Agenda.
Teleprompter
Good morning, everybody.
Welcome to this Friday press briefing of the United Nations system in Geneva.
I would like to welcome all our speakers today.
We have quite a few items on the list and I would just like to remind you that in addition to the speakers, we also have a few colleagues, including from IOMOAC Ankta WHO who are listening, even if they don't refactively are here to answer your questions.
So I will start with our first announcement from Monica Geher, hoping that she's already connected.
Yes, she is and she's also unmuted.
Monica, you have a short announcement for the journalist here.
Good morning.
OK, good morning.
Can you hear me very well?
You're on.
Thank you.
OK, good morning, everybody.
Thanks for giving me the floor.
So this is a short announcement that we are celebrating World Telecommunication and Information Society Day this Sunday every year on the 17th of May, as we have made available a media advisory, a trellocate with lots of materials including the UN Secretary General video in six languages.
All of these materials in six languages.
We have a landing page for the day itself and all of that will be made available in the summary of the briefing afterwards.
So all the journalists have access to that.
While the day is celebrated on the 17th, for instance by the UN Secretary General who will promote his video, the ITU will hold a virtual **** level meeting on Monday afternoon.
So we have heads of agencies including Director general of of UNOC, but also from WMO, WAIPO, UNESCO and an ambassador from Azerbaijan.
So that's a **** level event, It's available, There will be no interaction, but people can watch it live and all of that will be information we share afterwards.
Now this is the day, but what we want to kick off on Sunday is actually a long term campaign, ideally 10 years, synchronised with the SD GS.
And that is to connect 20-30 agenda of IOTU approved by all member states, which is the strategy for the Union, which has more than 1000 members, as you know, from private and public sectors and academia, to use the Icts to connect everybody to a better world and it's synchronised with the SD GS.
That agenda through Icts contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
So it's a huge campaign and we have worked on that for several months.
All the materials will be shared with the journalists afterwards.
Thank you very much.
Monica, give us a second.
Just want to have a look if there's any question from the journalist takes a little bit a little moment to warm up, but I don't see any for the moment any hand up.
So thank you very much for distributing the material you have.
You have described and good luck with the campaign and the event.
So I will go now to our first briefers on COVID related issues.
In fact, we have 3 speakers to talk to you about COVID and the Rohingya settlements under different items.
Sorry, I see Paul, Paul Dylan has raised his hand.
You are also to join this group.
Just sorry for this.
We have just seen that.
Now just a follow up on the comments from our colleagues.
Thank you.
OK, so I'll give you the floor after after our colleagues.
So let's start with Andre.
Good morning, Andre.
So you have an item on this issue of Rohingya settlements.
You go ahead.
Thank you.
Yes, good morning, Alessandra.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
A quick update from the Cox's Bazaar Rohingya refugee settlements.
UNHCR and partner organisations have further identified their COVID-19 response in the Rohingya refugee camps in the Cox's Bazaar area of Bangladesh following the first confirmed case of coronavirus among the refugee population yesterday.
Since March, UNHCR and partners have been supporting the Government of Bangladesh primarily in COVID-19 preparation and prevention efforts.
With this first confirmed case response mechanisms have now been activated and will require further additional international support, according to government.
According to the sorry.
According to the Government of Bangladesh, one Rohingya refugee has tested positive for COVID-19 in the Kutupalong refugee settlement in Bangladesh.
In addition, one member of the local Bangladeshi host community has also tested positive.
Both had approached health facility run by humanitarian partners where samples were taken.
These were subsequently tested in the field laboratory in Cox's Bazaar.
Following the laboratory confirmation, rapid investigation teams have been activated to investigate both cases, initiate isolation and treatment of patients as well as tracing of contacts, quarantine, testing of contacts as per WHO guidelines.
Testing began in the Cox's Bazar district in early April and as of yesterday, 14th of May, 108 refugees have been tested.
There are serious concerns about potentially severe impact of the virus in a densely populated refugee settlement sheltering some 860,000 refugees.
Another 400,000 Bangladeshis live in the surrounding host communities.
These populations are considered to be among the most at risk globally in this pandemic.
No effort must be spared if the higher fatality rates are to be avoided in overcrowded sites with limited health and water and sanitation infrastructure.
There are more details in the note.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much, Andre And I will give now the floor to UNICEF, who also wants to speak about the COVID response in these camps.
Mariixi, just one second, we are mute.
You can you hear me?
Hello.
OK, Good morning everybody.
Just a few words on on what we are doing to boost this response to the emergence of COVID in the refugee camps we are.
UNICEF is preparing A210 bed severe acute respiratory infection isolation and treatment centre.
The 1st 90 beds will be ready by May 22 and the rest by the 30th of May 2020.
While the construction of this 210 bed facility is underway, UNICEF is converting A diarrhoea treatment centre into a 30 bed isolation and treatment centre.
This is scheduled to be complete by tomorrow, but a little more time is needed to put the human resources and medical supplies in place.
Personal protective equipment is being provided for health workers and health facilities.
Health Health The health staff in the health facilities in the Rohingya camps have been trained on infection prevention and control.
UNICEF's network of community health volunteers there.
About 229 of them have been trained on COVID-19 contact tracing.
UNICEF partners are providing safe water and soap supplies for 240,000 Rahegi refugees, over half of whom are children.
Over 4200 communal hand washing stations in the camps and 160 in the host community have been installed.
Also, some 9500 lectrines and 4700 based bathing facilities have been disinfected.
UNICEF partners including WFP, continue to provide screening, treatment and follow up care for acutely malnourished children.
11% of Rohingya children under 5 suffer from acute malnutrition, placing them at a heightened risk of medical complications if they contract COVID-19.
UNICEF partners continue to provide maternal and child health care services in the refugee camps and host communities.
Rohingya volunteer teachers have reached over 100,000 refugee households with information about caregiver LED home based learning.
So far, some 35,000 children are engaged in home based learning activities.
UNICEF continues to provide protection services including case management, counselling and psychosocial support for children, women and girls and survivors of gender based violence.
Our network of almost 2000 partners and volunteers continue to monitor children for for risk of violence, exploitation, ***** and neglect.
Crucially, UNICEF is making sure that children have access through life saving information and protecting themselves and their communities against infections.
The radio broadcast media cartoons that are screened at service points in refugee camps and on TV in the host community.
And we're working with a network of 650 trained community mobilizers, including 200 religious leaders and volunteers to get this crucial life saving information to people who need it.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Marrick C.
Now I will go to Elizabeth, who also has a point on this matter and more largely Bangladesh.
Elizabeth Yes, COVID-19 threatened to reverse development gains made in Bangladesh over the past five decades, and 40 million people in Bangladesh already live in poverty.
And a significant drop in income and consumption among the vulnerable has the potential to push millions more into poverty.
COVID-19 can be deadly, but hunger is equally deadly.
To ensure the most vulnerable are not left behind in the response to this pandemic, WFP urgently needs $320 million.
This is 200 million for its COVID response in Bangladesh and an additional 120 million for Rohingya response.
Lockdown and restriction in movement are affecting livelihoods of millions across Bangladesh, especially daily wage earners like rickshaw drivers, day labourers who now find themselves unable to meet their basic needs.
The funding will ensure food security for the most vulnerable families for in Bangladesh, including those in rural areas and urban slums, as well as people working in the informal economy.
The Rohingya in the in the Rohingya camps.
WFP has seized 860,000 Rohingya refugees and 157,000 people in Scox Bazaar host community.
WFP also provide logistic support to the humanitarian community in Bangladesh and has big begun building new storage areas for food and non food items necessary for the COVID response including PPE and is supporting humanitarian agencies in moving vital supplies into and around Bangladesh.
Communication with refugee about COVID has become a challenge due to a reduction in staff and lack of Internet in the camps.
WFE is employing new methods to reach people with life saving information like Tuk tuk with loud speakers that circulates around the camps broadcasting messages on changes to food distribution.
Food distribution points have also become an important source of information where people can listen, radio or broadcast.
Approaching the monsoon season adds An additional layer of vulnerability.
WSP has is using E voucher programmes to avoid the social the contact between people.
75% of Orenga refugee receive food assistance through E vouchers and the E voucher will be scaled up during the until the end of this year.
Of course, we have also in kind distribution.
25% of Orenga refugee receive rice, lentils and oil.
The same measures have been taken at in kind distributions sites.
I think I will stop here.
We have more details about children also to complement what Marixi said and about our school feeding programmes to three million children and you will find them in the notes.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Elizabeth.
And before opening the floor to the journalist for questions, I would like to let Paul be alone for IOM also add a few words on this subject.
Paul, you have the floor and we can see you.
Go ahead.
Thank you very much.
Sorry, a bit of a problem here.
Bear with me for a SEC.
OK, thank you very much.
On the 5th of April, IO Ms Director General Antonio Victorino said the following quote based on decades of experience in camp management and migration health.
We see the arrival of COVID-19 in camps as an as an inevitability, not a possibility.
And we've been pairing with with this in mind, the COVID-19 preparations in the refugee camps in Cox's Bazaar have been a genuine joint operation between the UN and other humanitarian partners.
At this time, our 1200 staff are focusing their efforts on several areas, health infrastructure, WASH activities, risk communications and contingency plans in the event that access is restricted.
We're also looking at the beginning of monsoon season next month, which will extend until November, which brings a whole other set of risks and challenges on health infrastructure.
I can tell you that IOM preparing 250 severe acute respiratory infection isolation and treatment centre beds, which will come online very shortly.
We have integrated, we have rather updated triage areas in the 35 primary care facilities we support, along with three isolation and treatment centres and a 93 unit contact tracing quarantine centre large enough to accommodate 465 people is nearing completion.
IOM is also setting up much needed oxygen provisions as a common pipeline service for treating facilities, supporting both its needs and those of its partner, its implementing partners on the WASH side.
Obviously access to water is a challenge in many of the 1100 camps and camp like settings the IOM manages globally.
In Cox's Bazaar we have 854 hand washing units and 310 colloquial tippy taps that have been installed in communal areas including all distribution points and an additional 120 backpack sprayers have been provided to enhance disinfect.
Disinfection activities, risk communications, obviously key situation like this and since mid March, nearly 600,000 awareness raising sessions have been conducted for Romania and host community beneficiary.
We're using digital and social media platforms, radio services, messaging services, door to door and group level interventions to communicate key messages.
Concerning the COVID-19 outbreak in Cox's Bazaar on contingency planning, we're continuing to work with our implementing partners on planning on several fronts.
Among other measures, the COVID-19 response, we've formed up volunteer groups who will ensure that their critical WASH services continue, that they're able to access spare parts, equipment and materials to ensure water supply and latrine services, for example, and continue even if access is further restricted.
With regards to the monsoon, obviously, IOM and its partners continue to main a **** level of vigilance as the monsoon season approaches.
We see the possible formation of a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal.
This time is being monitored very closely with the remaining humanitarian community and IOM has contingency stocks already in its decentralised storage facilities around and inside the camps.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much for for this adding and I will now have a look at which journalists are asking for the floor.
Any journalist is asking for the floor for questions on this subject for the moment, I don't see any let them have a moment to eventually raise his hand their hands.
So I have the first one is Nick.
Yeah.
Hi.
Good morning to all.
There seem to be multiple efforts to prepare for a COVID response in Rohingya are in Cox's bizarre camps.
I just wanted to check what what is the Andre you mentioned testing how many what is the capacity for testing?
It only seems to have been about 100 / a period of several days.
And secondly, this I wonder if there's an overview of of how many isolation beds now are available.
Some of you have mentioned plans to bring it online, but is there an over an overall number that we can see?
And you know, how many ventilators are there available for 1.2 million people in this area?
Who wants to start maybe Andre Yes, regarding testing, testing is conducted by the Bangladeshi authorities.
It is the Institute for the Epidemiology and Disease Control, that is, that is conducting the the tests.
They have the laboratories in place in Cox's Bazaar.
The testing, as I mentioned, has begun in the area in early April, so some six weeks ago.
Only the people with symptoms are being administered tests and so far we have had no confirmed cases until yesterday when the first case was confirmed among the refugee population in the in in Okea.
Now there are currently plans and some of some of these are already in place for a total of 12.
Centres Isolation and treatment centres for the so-called Serious acute respiratory infections or The acronym is SAREE.
There are currently 5 quarantine centres, another 20 isolation facilities which are meant to serve those with symptoms but with perhaps not serious symptoms as the ones in the in, in SARI.
And then obviously many of the agencies are supporting and taking part in a, in a joint effort to put in place also the IC us, the the intensive care units with a number of beds now for the the SARI centres.
It is planned for those would have ultimately 1900 beds.
So I'll, I'll stop on that.
Perhaps other colleagues may want to add more.
Yeah, I will ask your colleagues if anybody wants to add.
But I also would like to remind you that Fidela is with us.
She will brief you on the WHA at the end.
But Fidela, if you want to intervene, if you have anything to add, just just let me know.
Anyway, So, oh, you are unmuted.
Did you want to say something about that?
OK, So anybody else, Marrick C, Paul Elizabeth, want to add something to the answer given by Andrea?
No, I don't see anybody nodding.
So thank you very much.
I don't see any other questions from the journalist on this.
So I would like to ask Marrick C to stay with us because she will also brief you on another subject and maybe ask Andre to continue with this briefing on Libya.
And then on Central America, maybe we start with Libya.
Andre, yes, thank you very much.
We are essentially amid deteriorating security conditions in Libya as well as restrictions on movement due to COVID-19, and UNHCR has provided emergency assistance to some 3500 refugees and internally displaced Libyans during the last two weeks.
The assistance package helped some 1600 urban refugees, more than 700 refugees held in detention and close to 1500 displaced Libyans in different sites across Libya and included one month's worth of food and hygiene kits.
Refugees told UNHCR staff that they were desperate for help.
A snapshot survey by the Mixed Migration Centre suggests that some 75% of refugees and migrants lost their jobs in March and April before Ramadan.
Some said that they could only afford to eat one meal per day.
Others formally received extra assistance from relatives through international money transfers.
But we're now struggling as as this has stopped in in recent weeks, some are facing eviction threats from their landlords and have fallen behind with with rental payments.
Food prices have spiked in most cities in Libya soon after COVID-19 measures were implemented.
And for example, the average cost of tomatoes has gone up by more than two 100% in some places, while the cost cost of Peppers has increased, for example, by about 40%.
Shortages of basic items such as eggs, vegetables and wheat are being reported in cities across Libya as the country struggles to import produce in the face of globally global supply and chain breakages and conflict in the western part of the country which blocks supply routes.
The ongoing conflict and continued shelling despite calls for humanitarian pause and ceasefire, has severely impacted the country's fragile health system and medical services, which have limited resources and face shortages of basic equipment and medicine.
Many hospitals or health facilities located in areas close to the conflict have also been damaged or closed.
We and our partners have also provided generators, ambulances, prefab containers, intended clinics in support of the local healthcare services across the country.
Soap has been distributed in settlements for some 20,000 internally displaced people in Benghazi, as well as in several detention centres in the eastern part of the country where hygiene conditions are very poor.
We echo also the call of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, urging warring parties across the world to seize their fighting in support of the response to the ****** of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And there are a few more details in the note over.
Thank you, Andre.
Yes, indeed.
Yesterday, the spokesperson of the Secretary General said that we reiterate our call once again for all parties to the conflict to do everything in their power to uphold their responsibility to protect civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law and humanitarian principles.
He also said that while donors have been generous, a boost in funding to continue humanitarian programmes is urgently required.
As of today, the Humanitarian response Plan, which requires 130,000,000, is only 14% funded.
I said today, of course, that was yesterday.
So as of yesterday, only 14% funded the humanitarian response plan.
So let me see if there is any requests for the floor.
I don't see any.
So Andre, you want to go to your last point.
Yes, thank you very much.
The the last briefing item we have this morning is on the situation of the internal displacement in in Central America.
An escalating situation of chronic violence and insecurity coupled with COVID related restrictions is is risking lives and exacerbating hardship for 10s of thousands of internally displaced people in the north of Central America.
This is this is what we are warning about today.
The violence over the past years has forced some 720,000 people in the region to flee their homes.
This was the situation at the end of the last year.
Almost half of them are now displaced within their own country, including some 247,000 people in Honduras and some 71,500 in El Salvador, while others have fled across borders.
Today, despite COVID related lockdowns in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, internally displaced people and community leaders report that criminal groups are using the confinement to strengthen their control over communities.
This includes the stepping of of extortion, drug trafficking and sexual and gender based violence, and using forced disappearances, murders and death threats against those who do not comply.
Restrictions of movement made it harder for those that need help and protection to obtain, and those that need to flee to save their lives are facing increased hurdles to find safety.
In addition, strict lockdowns have resulted in many displaced and vulnerable people losing their livelihoods.
As businesses are ordered to close and informal jobs vanish, people living in these vulnerable communities are losing their only source of income.
Many now have limited access to basic services like healthcare and running water.
Faced with these dire circumstances, people are increasingly resorting to negative coping mechanisms, including sex work, and that puts them at further risks both in terms of health and by exposing themes to violence and exploitation by gangs.
The intra urban nature of internal displacement in the north of Central America and the fact that it often involves one person or family at the time, can make forced movements very difficult to detect.
We are regularly relying on a network of community leaders in **** risk areas to identify possible internal displacement.
They have told UNHCR that they expect a rapid increase in forced displacement as soon as the lockdown measures are lifted.
In the meantime, UNHCI is working across the north of Central America, concentrating on the most critical humanitarian interventions to the extent that movement restrictions allow.
And there are a few more details in the note.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Andre.
Our first question is from Jan.
Yes, good morning, Alessandro.
Good morning, Andre, If I may, I would like to ask on Libya.
I didn't have a chance to ask on Libya earlier.
I think it's OK.
Go ahead.
Yeah, OK.
It's, it's on the detention centres for refugees.
2 questions.
Andre.
Are there any confirmed COVID cases in these centres?
And secondly, are there any signs that the UN recognised government in Tripolis might release the detained migrants and and refugees now in the the face of COVID?
Andre, I will there are no confirmed cases in the detention centres and you may recall our earlier advocacy vis a vis the situation and, and detention centres that are under control of the of the UN recognised government that the refugees that are held there are released safely into the into the host communities.
The the conditions are poor, especially the hygiene conditions in these centres and obviously across across Libya given the conditions of the conflict and so on.
The testing is very inconsistent given that parts of the country are de facto under control of different forces and confronting forces.
OK, next question.
I think he's more on the Central America issue is from Isabel.
Good morning.
Do you hear me?
Yes, very well.
Good morning everybody.
Yes, on Central America.
I would like to ask to Andre about if you know if there is cases of coronavirus, another coronavirus among the displaced population in these three countries in Central America.
And if you can give more details on what, how the violence increase of the violence has restrained the movement of the UNHER staff.
The, the, the, the restriction on movements were the ones that I, the ones that I referenced are in relation to the current lockdown arrangements that are restricting the movement for, for everybody.
Obviously us, including we, we, we refrain from many actions that might help the spread of the, of the pandemic.
I'm sorry, what was the other question?
Isabel, can you repeat your second question?
I'm sorry, Isabel.
Yeah, she needs to be unmuted.
Yeah, go ahead.
OK.
Yes, this the first question was about.
Oh yeah.
Was the, the overall the COVID circulation of coronavirus?
Yes.
Yeah.
I, I, I don't have those details right now.
Let me try and check and maybe even answer to you before the end of the briefing.
OK, that would be good.
Next question.
Thank you is about the next question is from Gabriela.
Hi, thank you very much.
I have some questions.
Where, where do you see more outbreaks of, of violence in these in these countries?
And if you have concerns in El Salvador with such an authoritarian style of the government and very a lot of repression in this COVID-19 handling of the pandemia.
And if you have a, a, how many people have been deported from Mexico to these countries?
OK, several questions on the last one.
I, I don't have the figure on the management of the public health response in El Salvador.
I believe The Who might be better placed to, to respond.
We do not have expertise on the management of the, of the public health responses.
Umm, but generally, uh, the situation in, in all three countries, El Salvador, uh, Nicaragua and Guatemala, umm, has been, uh, difficult.
Uh, and from all the, all of those three, uh, countries, umm, and, and despite the, the current measures that are, that have been put in place by the authorities to curb the spread of the, of the virus in, in Honduras and El Salvador and Guatemala, we continue to receive the report, especially that the criminal groups are using now these circumstances to strengthen their reach and, and, and control over communities.
And I've, I've explained some of the, the tactics that they use.
It includes drug trafficking, it includes extortion, violence, disappearances, murders and, and death threats.
And this is something that has been symptomatic for for the situation in in all these three countries.
Thank you, Andre, I would just like to inform the journalist that in addition to Fadela, who will speak to us about WHA, Dr Margaret Harris is also connected.
Just in case, Margaret, you would like to add anything on the COVID side or the journalist would have any?
I have.
I have maybe just a quick update on the COVID-19 cases among refugees and migrants from Venezuela.
Go ahead.
There are at least 270 cases reported, including 121 in Peru and seven deaths, 34 in Ecuador, 27 in Brazil, with four reported deaths of indigenous viral people, 22 in Colombia, including three deaths, seven in Chile, four in the Dominican Republic and two in Aruba.
We can perhaps share these numbers with you after after the briefing, but this is in response to Isabel's question.
Thank you.
And yes, I see people nodding.
Andrea, if you could eventually share it quickly, that would be very useful, I think if you could share these numbers.
OK.
The next request for the floor is from Paula, Paula Dupras.
Yes, hi, good morning.
I was just wondering if you are seeing given the violence in these countries, any informal cross-border displacements and where that would be and possibly any numbers?
No, I have nothing on that.
And I understand Paulo, you also wanted to ask maybe Paul Dillon if they could share their notes, right?
Yes, please.
Yes.
Maybe Paul, after the briefing or as soon as you can, if you could share the notes you read before about the situation in the Rohingyas settlements?
Next question is from Gabriella.
Yes, thank you.
No, it's a follow up.
I was just to clarify, I was referring on El Salvador, but to the treatment on people who come back from refugees that have been deported in El Salvador.
If, if, if you have any update on their situation, not on the pandemia, you know, just AUS make context.
Yeah, I can look into that.
But right now, I have nothing.
OK.
So that was the last request for the floor.
Thank you very much, everybody who have briefed on that.
I will go now to Marixi again.
Marixi, you have an item on the vaccination in the Democratic Republic of the Congo linked to COVID, right?
Good morning again, everybody.
Can you hear me very well?
Go ahead.
Routine vaccination rates for children decline between 2 and 10% in the Democratic Republic of Congo in January and February this year compared with the same.
In 2019, mostly due to poor cold chain systems, low coverage and vaccine stock outs.
In all, 86,905 children did not receive the oral polio vaccine, 84,676 children were not vaccinated against measles, and 107,010 children did not receive the yellow fever vaccine in the first two months of the year.
This is particularly alarming in a country where just over 1/3 of children between 12 and 23 months are fully vaccinated before their first birthday.
The DRC could potentially see more polio cases and see a resurgence of measles and yellow fever epidemics.
In 2019, the Democratic Republic of Congo had the world's worst measles outbreak.
As of early May this year, there have been over 54,000 suspected measles cases, including 694 deaths.
Every province in the country is affected.
The extremely low level of vaccine stocks in the country is a major concern.
As of this month, the Democratic Republic of Congo is out of the measles, bivalent polio, yellow fever, and BCG vaccines.
The country is also running low on the DTPB, Hib, tetanus and rotavirus vaccines.
The emergence of COVID-19 cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo in March will almost certainly worsen the situation.
Health workers conducting routine vaccinations do not have adequate equipment to protect themselves, caregivers and children.
Parents are also reluctant to attend vaccination sessions for fear of exposing themselves and their children to COVID-19.
We will have updated figures on how this is affecting the vaccination coverage soon.
Beyond vaccination, COVID-19, disruption of health systems and access to food could mean 10s of thousands of additional deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A modelling study done by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health University published in The Lancet on Tuesday for the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Among the top ten countries globally that could have the largest number of additional child deaths due to COVID related reductions in routine health coverage and decreased access to food.
Based on a worst case scenario, the country could see nearly 54,000 additional child deaths over the next six months.
Despite the emergence of COVID, UNICEF has supported the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to keep vaccinating children in critical outbreak areas, including Ituri, N Kivu and Equator Province.
To do so safely, we also provided infection prevention and control kits including gloves, masks, thermometers, soap, water and hand hand sanitizer.
UNICEF is urging the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to conduct catch up campaigns and intensify immunisation activities across the country.
More vaccine supplies and consumables to administer the vaccines are needed as well as personal protective equipment for health workers.
UNICEF is also getting to international donors to sustain the country's immunisation efforts with multi year funding support.
Thank you.
Thank you very much Marxie.
Lisa wants to ask you a question.
Yes, good morning all.
A question for Morixi and then a one for either Margaret or or Fidela.
Morixi is, are the main problems one of the inability to transport enough?
You say that there is shortage of vaccine vaccines in the country.
Is that due to lack of money and or the inability to transport enough of the vaccines into the country, a lot of it perhaps having to do with COVID-19?
And then I have the follow up question.
Question to Margaret.
OK, Lisa, at this point the lack the the issue is lack of funding from the government which has committed to funding 100% of traditional vaccines and 22% of new vaccines.
Lisa, maybe you want to ask your second question, if you can be unmuted again, Can you unmute?
Lisa, please, Am I unmuted?
Hello.
Go ahead.
OK, excellent.
Excellent.
So sorry, First, Marixi, how much money do they actually need?
And then for you, Margaret, on the issue of vaccinations, are there enough vaccines still in the DRC for Ebola?
I mean, we haven't heard anything about the Ebola situation.
It seems to have dropped off the mat.
It was, it was so close to being eliminated, eradicated.
Unfortunately, that hasn't happened.
So if you could just give a quick sort of update on that situation.
Thank you.
Let's start with Marks Marksy.
Go ahead.
Lisa, can I come back to you with a figure?
Sure.
Thanks.
Margaret, If she can be a muted or maybe Fidel, I don't know whom should answer this.
Go ahead.
Margaret, are you being unmuted again?
Sorry.
Can Margaret be a muted, please?
Margaret Harris.
OK.
Thank you.
It's good.
I got it.
I think it was me, not you.
Oh, OK.
Go ahead.
Yeah, so Ebola we do have, as you know, we had a flare up.
We have had a few cases, but the vaccine and we vaccinated all the people who are in contact with those cases.
The supplies of Ebola vaccination vaccine are not a problem.
And in fact, we have two different vaccines being used in DIC.
The Johnson and Johnson trial is ongoing, but that is going on in the Goma area and in the area where we've got a small, this small flare up, some transmission, although we have not seen a new case for I think it's something like 13 days.
But I'll have to get back to you on the numbers.
We don't have a problem with vaccine supplies.
Thank you very much, Margaret.
The next question is from Freddie.
I can translate for you Marks here afterwards if you want.
Freddie, Bonjour or will put in case you are Mariixi, solidarity to the Congo.
Tristan Segunda would be better voila and linear.
I was admitted in just just for everybody to understand.
We managed the mics.
So if you unmute yourself when you have been already unmuted, you re mute yourself.
So just wait for our colleagues to to unmute.
You don't say bomb enough.
Ready was that and then.
Mercy.
The.
Exclusive vaccine.
I think I understood the question.
OK, that's good.
I will answer in English if that's OK.
It's a good question and we're trying to get good data on this.
But we are seeing a growing reluctance among mothers or caregivers due to rumours about COVID-19, notably rumours related to COVID-19 vaccination test being done on African people, as well as the more established rumours and older rumours that that some vaccinations actually cause diseases.
But just to be clear that these vaccinations are for childhood diseases, not this is not related to Ebola or COVID specifically.
Over.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And if any Margaret wants to add something, you just raise your hand, Margaret.
The next.
OK, Mariksi, yes, give me one quick second.
I have some data on that.
So basically you still, I mean there are there are.
Let me just get that.
Let me just find the data exactly before I speak.
Sorry.
Go ahead.
We wait.
Sorry.
Sorry for that.
Maybe Marik, see, while you're looking for your data, I can see if there are other questions.
OK.
I don't see any.
So would you need a little bit more time?
Yes, please.
OK, thank you.
So let's go to Jens now, who has a an item on which.
Oh, sorry, I found it.
OK, go ahead.
And then I go to Jens for the briefing.
Sorry, but I'm going to respond in English.
It's absolutely correct that the Democratic Republic of Congo was declared free of wild polio virus in November 2015.
Since April 2017, however, the country has been facing an epidemic of polio virus derived from type 2 vaccine.
SO22 cases of this type 2 vaccine CV.
I'm going to give you the acronym CVDV.
P2 were detected in 2017, 20 cases in 2018 and 87 cases in 2019.
In the first quarter of 2020, the country has already had five cases of CVDVP V2.
OK, Merci Boku Marixi.
Thank you.
OK, so I go now to Yens for his briefing.
Yens, you are on, I think you have an item on the Sahel.
Yeah.
Thank you, Alexandra, and good morning everyone.
8 United Nations aid agencies and NGOs working in Africa Sahil region have warned that 24 million people, half of them children, now need life saving assistance and protection.
That equals one person five of the total population of 120 million in the Sahel and it's the highest number ever recorded.
The agencies yesterday presented their humanitarian overview of the region, covering humanitarian needs in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, northeast Nigeria, Chad and northern Cameroon.
The multi layered crisis is triggered by a deterioration in security that has led to displacement within countries and across borders, rising hunger, inequality and the direct and indirect consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a reported rise in gender based violence.
There are four and a half million internally displaced people and refugees in the region, 12 million people who are food insecure at crisis and emergency levels and 1.6 million severely malnourished children in the Sahel.
The agency programmes for this year combined aims to reach 17 million people with a variety of aid and require $2.8 billion.
Only 18% of this has been received so far this year.
The agencies sound the alarm as the lean season between harvests is looming and the COVID-19 pandemic advances in the region, where there are already more than 9000 confirmed cases.
The head of Orchard Regional Office for West and Central Africa said in a press release that if we don't act now, the crisis will cost many more lives, devastate communities and may spill into new regions and West African coastal countries.
The future of millions of people, most of them under 35 years old, is at stake.
In the notes that I have shared with you is the link to the overview of humanitarian needs and requirements in the Sahel in English and in French for your Telegraph.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
And let me see if there are questions for you.
I don't see any.
Yes, John Zaracostas.
John, you have a question for Jens.
Yes, good morning, Jens.
I was wondering if you can give us more details on the 1.6 million children that are severely malnourished and perhaps if Marixi can chip in what is being done right now to address the issue by the UN agencies?
Thanks very much.
Thank you, John.
Maybe we'll start with Jens.
Yes, thank you, John.
The this is human and I think it's important to to stress this human.
It's an overview and the 2.8 billion that we are, we are looking for in this.
It's not a separate plan.
It is the individual country plans that have been looked at together to give an overview because a lot of these issues are crossing borders and a lot of the issues are common in in the region.
So it's trying to to give an overview of what is the situation in, in the right now.
And that's where we get to the the combined number of 1.6 million children who are malnourished in the overview, which is not that I have sent to you, is it's not already complicated actually to to read.
And there are some details under the individual country page pages at the in at the end part of of that document.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Marks, do you want to chip in with some other information?
Yeah, I'm actually looking for a document that has a lot of detail.
Give me a few minutes and otherwise I'll come back.
Sure.
No problem with this.
I will have the pleasure now to.
Well, first of all, thank you very much, Jens.
And I'd like to go now to Fidela.
Fidela, you have the floor on the World Health.
Yeah, good morning.
Bonjour, Turmond.
I will give you some information about the word head assembly that is starting Monday and plan to end on Tuesday evening.
We just sent you a media advisory with the information we have so far about it.
So as you may all know, this is the first time that we are holding a virtual de minimis, I mean abridged sort word head assembly.
It's it's the first time we will see how it will work.
So let me just give you what will happen on Monday.
You know that we are all on different time zones and because we have COVID-19, the 73rd session of the word head assembly will be held virtual.
The agenda has been limited to two or three items, so we are starting on Monday 18 and concluding no later than Tuesday 19 May.
In the evening.
It will be webcast live from the EB Room and it's open to all Member states to our observers invited the representative of the UN and other participating intergovernmental organisation and non state actors.
All of this participant will be online from Monday.
So we will start at noon Geneva time and we hope the the session will be going late until midnight the first day, Monday.
On Tuesday, we will start at noon and we hope, we hope to, to conclude in the evening around 3:00 or 4:00 PM.
So as I said, this is a virtual Word Head assembly.
It has also it's abridged, it's a short one with only the following agenda items.
We will start by opening of the Word Head Assembly by the 2nd, the 72nd President of the Word Head Assembly.
I mean the president who was chairing the assembly last year, he will start and then we will elect a new president for the current Word Head Assembly.
And this person should be elected by the member states.
And this person will come from the region of the Americas.
You know that there is a kind of geographic rotation to for chairing the word Head Assembly.
So the the president of the world has assembly the 73rd ward.
That assembly will then make an address and we will have several invited guests this this year from heads of States and other people.
And then after the statement of the invited guests, we will listen to the W2 Director General, Doctor Tedros, who will speak mainly of COVID-19 pandemic response.
And then the floor is open to member states to make their statements.
And then something that is important and it's we need to do it during, even if it's a shorter assembly, is to elect a few new members of the executive board and on.
And then we will conclude, as I said on Tuesday evening, with the idea to resume a normal World Health Assembly later in the year.
As you all know, we have a huge number of agenda items.
Usually during the World Health Assembly we could have like 60 to 70 agenda items.
So we need to go through them.
We need to discuss them later in the in the year.
The date will be decided during this short word head assembly when we will resume the assembly later in the year to discuss the the to consider the remaining items on the agenda.
What can I tell you as usual as you know, so after the word assembly, we have also short session of the EB.
So Friday 22nd May as of noon, we will have also a short session of the executive board meeting virtual also.
So I will stop here and if you have question happy to try to answer.
I know that it will be difficult because it's the first time that we are doing it that way and a lot of things are still to be decided during the weekend.
I have a long list of questions.
Fidel, brace yourself and maybe some of will also be for Margaret.
So brace both of you very much.
And I'll start with the first question that comes from Freddy, Freddy Fidela.
Freddy.
Well, it's craccessia fidela Pasco on Anton in normal debris laba fidela.
The source of the the the debris may should be men on Donila Paol Elizabetha.
Yeah.
Hello.
Good morning.
Do you hear me Very well.
Go ahead.
OK, cool.
So my question is actually I have one.
OK, Two questions to find out.
One is about the West recommendations on incubation for those who are sick or were exposed to the six persons.
Now the recommendation, WG recommendations are 14 days.
So why it is so important to to isolate yourself for 14 days and not less?
And if there's still like, you know, some changes in this recommendation and people can now use like 5 or 7 days of self isolation and say instead of two weeks.
And the second question is about the use of ultraviolet lamps because I've read there were some researchers that the ultraviolet lamps are can, can, can defeat the virus.
So do you recommend to use them?
Thanks, Elizabeth.
I think these are more questions maybe for Margaret.
I would give the Margaret unless, unless Fidel also wants to compliment Margaret.
These two questions are really on COVID.
Sure, sure.
I'm happy to answer those.
Oh, sorry.
I'll put my I'll, I'll.
You're fine.
You're fine.
You're on.
OK.
I was just going to remove my mask.
OK.
Yeah.
So the, the, the reason we have 14 days incubation period is simply because symptoms tend to appear, you're quite right around five to seven days.
But in enough people it, it may take as long as 12 days.
So the 14 days is really to give a, a, a decent time for anybody who's got symptoms to actually develop those symptoms.
That's that's the reason.
Because if we just made it 7 days, you're like, oh, I've had no symptoms.
You may get them, you may be one of those people who get them later.
So it's for safety.
That's what the 14 days is about.
Your second question, I've already forgotten it was, it was about ultraviolet lens.
Yeah, ultraviolet lens.
OK.
You know, the, our the, the we haven't really determined what exactly kills this virus from what we are determining is that it's a pretty resilient and, and and you know, it's able to last quite some, some time.
So and the problem with ultraviolet light is it can cause damage to your skin and it can cause other, other damages.
So no, we don't recommend it.
OK, thank you very much.
Next question is from Jamil, maybe Jimmy.
Do you want to say to whom you would like to address it?
One second.
You're being muted.
Go ahead, you're on.
How are you all?
I, I'm not sure if it's to Margaret or to Fadela.
Go ahead, you choose.
My question is about the negotiations on the declaration regarding COVID.
It was concluded yesterday at midday of the 14th with no, let's say, comments by countries.
It meant that the declaration is basically valid.
My question, why is it not at your website so far?
Are you going to circulate that to us?
That is the main part of the the Assembly, not the speeches, but we need information on that and we need information on all of this.
And secondly, again, I don't know to whom, why?
Why are you talking about access to treatment and vaccines in a voluntary basis still?
The word voluntary still is very much there.
Why is that so?
Thank you.
OK.
So I think the first part of the question may be on the recommendation.
I'll give the floor to Fidela and then to Margaret for the second one.
Fidela, go ahead.
Yeah, thank you.
Jamil, I think when you say declaration, you mean the EU sponsored resolution on COVID-19?
Yeah, you are completely right.
It's it's being translated as you know the policy for every document to go on the website and their governing bodies website needs to be translated in six languages as soon as it is translated it will be posted and I will make sure that you receive it during this weekend.
I will make sure to inform you about several things.
One, once this statement is translated and posted, I will send it to you and also the list of participants.
As you know, it's also something that a lot of journalists are asking for and I was told it will not be finalised before Sunday evening when I have the list of participants at at this virtual weather assembly, I will make sure you have it.
We have.
I am also expecting some clarity and confirmation of the guest speakers.
I was told 3 or 4 heads of state will speak during the opening of the Word head assembly before Doctor Tedros.
I don't have the final list of these guest speakers.
So this weekend, just be aware that we will send you updated information when we have them.
So you are right, this EU sponsored resolution is important.
It will be posted and certainly discussed during the World Health Assembly.
Thank you, Fidela.
Margaret, on the other question from Jimmy of the one on volunteering.
So Jamil, can you clarify your question?
You said access to vaccines and treatments is voluntary.
I'm not quite sure what you mean by that.
At the moment, we don't have a vaccine of any kind.
We've got 100 / 100 candidates being assessed and therapeutics.
Also, we do not have any therapeutic proven to be an effective treatment at this point.
So, So what, what are you, what are you, what are you really asking?
Can you let me go straight to the point this afternoon we will have Costa Rica and, and OK, the model, the model that is being proposed is not a public good in terms of the future vaccine or access to vaccine.
It is still a model based on the voluntary release of patents by the owners in order for that to happen.
So there is no basically obligation from companies.
And why is it that the double HO is not taking this position of being more stranded in terms of guaranteeing the access?
So far you're only talking about voluntary access, voluntary, sorry, release of the patent.
OK, Jamil, can I stop you there because I'm not going to be able to answer that question.
I, I don't have access to the policy discussion there.
But you're quite right.
That will come up this afternoon at the the Director General's press.
So let's get your question asked there.
OK.
Thanks.
Thank you, Margaret.
OK, I have a very long list of questions.
So unless you want to spend the lunch time here with us, which I don't mind, I would ask everybody to be really short, please.
The next question is from Gabriella.
Yes, thank you very much.
I had a same questions that I mean, Fadela already said already answered, but just if she can send us during the weekend, if she, if she can the schedule, she said she mentioned that on Monday she will, they will stop at noon and then we don't know at what time.
I mean, if she can give us more details to follow the, the, the, the assembly and then to, to Margaret, if you, if you are finding that maybe a pollution could be a factor that can worsening the effects of COVID-19, as we can see in Mexico City, for example, that they are very **** levels of pollution and people are, you know, really, really suffering a little bit more.
But if that could be a factor.
Thank you.
OK.
I think there are quite a few information read in the media advisory that Fidela sent you, but I don't know if you want to add something or just we'll send you the schedule.
Yeah.
OK.
So we will start at noon and finish at midnight the first day.
And I know that it's important also for you to know what time Doctor Tedros or other will speak.
We are we.
I will also send you a very important document that is very useful during the ward at assemblies.
It's called the journal.
So the journal will be posted probably Sunday.
So I will be very attentive and every time I see something that can help you do your job, I will send it to you.
Thank you.
Just maybe, just also maybe to, to add that because of the situation of COVID and the, the, the safety measures that we are taking in, in WHO journalists will not be allowed inside WHO.
But if you want to come to, to do interviews arranged with us or with the experts, you will be, you are welcome to, to stay outside WHO on the campus, but a very limited number of people from WHO will be allowed in the building.
What can I tell you?
So I will send you what's very important is the journal list of participant, the EU sponsor, the resolution and the name of the guest speakers.
I hope to have this information available this weekend and I will make sure you have it as soon as I have it.
Thank you, Margaret.
On the pollution side, sure.
So it's clear that people who've got pre-existing underlying lung disease don't do well with this disease because this disease goes into the lungs.
That's where your inflammation is.
If you've already got damage to your lungs from living in an environment where you've got air pollution, you are likely to struggle further.
The actual scientific causal link we won't have until we've done long term studies in all the cities that have had those problems.
Thank you John.
Sarah Crosses, really I have 16 questions.
Try to be brief please in the questions and in the answers.
Thank you.
Hello.
Yes, John, My, my question is first to Margaret, if she has an answer to my question from Tuesday and also to Fidela, the question I emailed her quite a while back.
If she could give me answers to these items that would be fantastic.
Thirdly, with regards to the to the health assembly, do entities that are not listed, non state entities that are not listed in the register of fencer can participate in a meeting or not?
Who wants to start?
I'll start because I'm quick.
I have just reprodded my infectious prevention, infection prevention and control people and said, as you pointed out, this is a, this should be a simple question and and I want to get you an answer.
That's it.
That's a good short question, Fidel.
The the question about the when, when we will post the list of participants, you, you will also have the list of not only member states, but all the other UN agencies that are invited to attend the word that assembly non state actors and other participants that are usually attending our governing body meeting.
So the list would not only be member states, but any other invited at this word assembly for your question.
I know, I know.
So when once I have a a response about the lab question, I will come back to you.
Thank you.
OK, next question, Christian.
Hello.
This is a question for Fadela and it's about procedure.
At what point on Monday is there possibly going to be a discussion about resolutions from Member states on the invitation of Taiwan?
Thank you.
OK.
Yeah.
Thank you, Christian.
Very interesting question.
And I think it's important for journalists to understand that at the opening of the World Head Assembly because this is the first time that we are doing in such a format.
It's very it's short and we haven't abridged word Head Assembly.
It's envisaged that when it opens on Monday, the WHWHA will adopt special procedures for holding its meeting virtually.
Because everything is this assembly is a, is a in a new format and member states needs to discuss during the opening how they want to conduct this World Health Assembly.
Are they going going to to decide by consensus and and all other issues.
So at the beginning, they will talk about how they want to conduct this World Health Assembly.
It will be at the beginning, just after the election of the 73rd President of the Assembly.
As I said, this man or woman will come from the region of the Americas, La Prussian.
The next question is from Yuki Yuki Saito NHKNHK.
Yuki, it's divided.
It's also above Taiwan.
But on 11th of May, Mr Solomon mentioned that there were 13 countries that made proposals to the assembly to make decision on the invitation of Taiwan.
But which countries are there?
Like could you quickly?
Are there any additional countries?
UK, we are losing you.
Have you understood the end of the question for Della?
Yes.
OK, go ahead, Yuki.
Yuki, if you go to the website of The Who under 73rd World Health Assembly right side, you will find a document with all the country requests to include Taiwan in the agenda of the Word Health Assembly.
So it's a public document.
Go to governing bodies Word Health Assembly, 73rd session on the right side document about proposition to add a supplemented agenda to the World Health Assembly.
It's a public document.
Thank you.
Next question from Ahmed.
Yes, hello.
Good morning.
Thank you.
Alessandra, can you hear me very well?
Go ahead.
Hear on.
Great, great.
I'd like to ask Fadila if she can tell us about the procedure for the for electing the new president of The Who this year and if it's legal.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I think there is a misunderstanding.
We are talking about electing the president of the World Health Assembly.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, exactly.
Yes, yes, yeah.
So there is a kind of geographic rotation.
Every year we have a new person to chair with that assembly.
So it's now time for the region of the Americas to elect.
So a proposal will come with the name of that person, with the country of that person.
And then if there is a consensus among a silent, what we call, what we will call now with this virtual press briefing, a silent procedure, this person will be elected.
If there is no objection, this person will be elected to chair the word that assembly until the next word that assembly.
And then we will have another person to chair the the assembly.
It's on a rotation basis.
So it's by consensus.
We will propose a name, the the assembly will propose a name.
It will be accepted and this person will chair the the assembly until next year.
All right, Jamie.
Jamie Keaton.
Hi.
Can you hear me?
Yes, very well.
Hi, Fidel.
Thank you.
I just wanted to ask you following up again on Taiwan, sorry to belabour it, but so you're saying that it is a certainty that Taiwan will come up in the in the meeting on Monday.
So it is definitely on the agenda.
And the second question related to that is how concerned are you that the Taiwan issue may gum up or or or stall or slow down the process of, for example, coming to a resolution on vaccines or other things specifically related to COVID-19?
Thank you, Adela.
Thanks.
So maybe it's worse for me to explain what is the word at assembly?
It's it's a meeting of member States and who is the Secretariat?
Of this World Health Assembly, we try to facilitate its work, we try to help them reach consensus, take decision, go through the agenda of the World Health Assembly, etcetera.
So what will happen on Monday at noon or during the day and the day after is really up to member state.
They will have to decide what they would like to discuss.
So as I said, this is the first time that W2 is is doing a word that assembly in that format.
We hope everything will be fine.
We are working very hard to get everything in place.
So we are we, we have no certainty about what will happen during the World Debt Assembly.
As I said, we act as the secretariat of member State.
It's up to them to decide how they want, they want to run the the assembly, what agenda they would like to discuss, bearing in mind that we are in the middle of a health crisis, a global pandemic and everyone, every country is interested in talking about this topic.
OK, Fidela, thank you very much.
Just as a housekeeping, I've got six more questions, Tomohiro, Freddie, Liza, Bairam, Shamil and Korky.
And then I close the the list of speak of questions and we close the briefing.
So Tomohiro, hi, can you hear me very well?
Go ahead.
Hi, Fidela, someone with schedule, just sorry about coming back to Taiwan again, but we will be definitely getting conclusion about the Taiwan's participation or not before DJ Tedros makes speech.
That's all.
Thank you.
I mean it's a, it's a session that is webcast.
So you will be able to listen to follow from noon to midnight on Monday.
The discussion.
I I don't know at what time if it is before, if it is after, this is the question of from Gabriella.
I think about the, the timing the runoff show.
I know it's very important.
So once we have the journal of the word that assembly, we would be able I mean to guess at what time the issues will be discussed.
So just one once I have this journal, I think it will be a good education of the the timing and the runoff show.
But for now, I'm I'm not able to give you this information.
OK, Freddy.
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Freddy.
You have the floor now.
Oh, great.
Thank you, Margaret.
This, this, this is a question for you.
I'd like to know whether the declaration states that there is an equitable, should be an equitable distribution of a vaccine when there is a vaccine, that it should be available to all countries.
Because I'd heard that the United States actually objects to that and wants to maintain the intellectual property rights, patents and profits for American pharmaceutical companies.
So if you could elucidate that situation for me and then very briefly, is there going to be a final briefing on the outcome of the meeting?
Thank you.
I, I can't and how many of the declaration, I'm sorry, you mean the declaration.
That's the resolution that Fidela will be talking about.
So I'll leave the, the, the, the if I'm not unmuted, I can answer that.
You were talking about the EU declaration, which on COVID, this, I mean the resolution that has to do with the do's and don'ts regarding COVID and how you know there is one, isn't there pick up next week, right during the meeting, right.
Yeah.
So let Fidela speak about it.
Fidela she's she's got much more knowledge.
So there is a European Commission sponsored resolution on COVID-19 signed by, as I said, members of the European Commission and many other countries have shown support to this resolution.
As I said, it's now being translated.
We need to get it translated into the six UN languages and it will be posted.
It's about COVID-19.
I mean, it's like any other UN resolution, a lot of details and with the information about what country should do, what W2 should do to put into control, under control this virus.
So I will make sure you have this resolution because it will be public and posted.
It's a draught.
It will be discussed, I'm sure, by Member States at the World Head Assembly.
It will be an important document and it will be the draught resolution will be posted on the website, I hope today or in the course of the weekend.
And I will make sure you you have it.
I don't know if I answered your question.
I don't think so because she has asked again for the floor, which is a problem.
Can you real mute Lisa, please?
Yeah.
Hi.
So you don't know the specifics of the declaration.
I was asking about whether it has a reference to the equitable distribution of a vaccine when it when there is a vaccine and also the the US wanting to maintain all of the rights for the United States, which would be contrary to that.
And then I'd also like to know whether there is a briefing on the outcome of the meeting afterwards.
Thank you.
But the first question is more important.
Yeah, you, you are right.
I read quickly the the resolution.
It will talk about the equitable access to vaccines and other products, diagnostic tests, therapeutic products and vaccines.
I don't remember having seen any specific about the US.
So what I can tell you is, if you remember Lisa, on 24th April, WTO together with global health actors, private sector partners and other stakeholders launched what we call the access to COVID-19 tools, the ACT Accelerator.
It's a global collaboration to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to new COVID-19 diagnostic therapeutics and vaccine.
Because the WH, it's a principle of WHO, it's the problem is not if we have a vaccine and it's not equitably distributed and made available to everyone.
So we are really advocating for the equitable universal access to vaccines and other COVID-19 health intervention.
And if you remember also I think it was like last week the European on 4th May, the European Union international pledging conference with the where they managed to, to get pledges for seven point 4 million billion euro.
So the European Commission is really committed to the same principle as WHO fair equitable access to vaccines and other therapeutics.
So in the EU resolution there there is there is a reference to this pledging conference in Brussels, the 4th of May.
And also the commitment by the European Commission and the the European Countries government to make sure that there is a universal access to vaccine and to to other commodities once we find them.
Because if you remember in the past, we had some very bad experiences.
Vaccines were developed, therapeutic were developed, but a lot of people were left behind because they cannot afford them, because they are, they were too expensive or they were kept only for the national citizens and and not to everyone on the on on earth.
The COVID-19 is a problem for everyone.
If someone is not safe, it means that we are all not safe.
It's very important that everyone on this earth will have access to a vaccine that is of good quality, affordable.
It's it's, it's, it's one of the most important things to do.
Find the vaccines and other therapeutic, but also make sure starting from now that everyone will have access to this product.
Adela, can I ask you in one second, please, to answer the second question that Lisa put out about the fact that there will be a briefing at the end of the two days for the press.
Still still work in progress.
Lisa, we don't know.
OK, thank you very much.
I've got three more questions.
I have said it and I'll do it after Gorgi, we close, we have Byram Jamil and Gorgi.
Byram, thank you very much.
And my question for Margaret Harris, Mr Target, the Harris on vaccine again.
The President Trump told Fox Business Television Network he expects to have a vaccine available by end of the end of the year.
But Mrs Harris, you said on Tuesday that coronaviruses are very tricky viruses and very difficult to reduce vaccine against them.
So my question, should we be hopeful about the vaccine by the end of the year?
Is Trump stated or not?
Thank you.
No one is.
Thanks for the question.
Nobody can put a definitive time on it.
The good news is we've got scientists working around the world, 100 different teams working on it.
But there is a process that must take time and that's the safety process.
There are two things you need to know.
You need to know that it stimulates antibodies, the right kind of antibodies that will that will protect against the virus.
Now they know that there's a spike on this virus.
They know that they want to aim to get antibodies against that spike.
What we don't know until we've tested a lot of people and for a long time is whether those antibodies are effective when you're exposed to the virus itself.
That's a very difficult piece of work to do.
And the other thing you need to be doing at the same time is understanding the safety.
Does it have any side effects?
Which particular vaccines are safer?
And then after that, even if you you've done the science, even if you're confident of the science, and that sort of science has got to take time.
It's not a quick fix.
Then you also have to be able to produce it.
You have to be able to produce it in a way that it can get out to people and you have to be able to deliver it.
So all those things are going to take time.
Thank you very much, Margaret.
Jamil and then Gorgie, and then we close.
Jamil.
Yes, can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Yeah.
So Margaret question on the situation on of the chloroquine the the drug that was where are we there and and and request that we've have been talking here in on what's up within the journalist Fadella.
It's extra extraordinary times needs extraordinary, extraordinary measures.
We need this resolution not in the six languages we have.
You know, we can see that you have it with you.
Please send to us.
OK, Margaret, the chloroquine, that's one of the the drugs that's under being tested on the Solidarity trial.
We need again to take time to get the numbers to get a true effect.
If you just have a few, if you, if you just test things on a few people, you may have an effect, but it could be coincidence.
Unless you've got the large numbers tested in the same way using a uniform protocol, you're not going to get a very clear idea.
So that's where we are still doing the science.
Thank you.
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Yeah.
And I have nothing more to add.
OK.
Just we complete the Monteco.
So thank you all.
Yes, I think that's it.
Bye.
Bye.