ANTANANARIVO – The U.S. government, through the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Rural Access to New Opportunities in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (RANO WASH) project, has donated equipment and supplies to ensure proper sanitation and hygiene in six COVID-19 treatment centers. This donation supports the Ministry of Public Health’s COVID-19 response strategy in coordination with the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene.

The donation, valued at approximately $10,000, includes washable coveralls, rubber boots, gowns, filter masks, gloves, hand-washing devices, disinfectant sprayers, and other cleaning materials. USAID is sending the materials directly to COVID-19 treatment centers in Alaotra Mangoro, Amoron'i Mania, Atsinanana, Haute Matsiatra, Vakinankaratra, and Vatovavy Fitovinany.

This donation is the latest iteration of USAID’s ongoing collaboration with the Government of Madagascar. The two countries are working together like “mpirahalahy mianala” to ensure the health and protection of the Malagasy people from COVID-19.

To end the global pandemic, USAID is taking bold action. We have contributed billions of dollars to fight COVID-19 in more than 120 countries. In Madagascar alone, the United States has provided $2.5 million in emergency funding to support the Government of Madagascar’s COVID-19 response and repurposed $2.2 million worth of USAID health projects to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. In November and October 2020, USAID donated $29,000 worth of computer equipment through the RANO WASH project to Madagascar’s Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene to strengthen the Ministry’s information management system and coordination for COVID-19 response. In March, the U.S. government donated “head-to-toe” personal protective equipment to front line health care workers in 13 areas of Madagascar hard hit by COVID-19.

The United States is the largest single-country donor to Madagascar's health sector, providing $74 million in 2020 alone to fund health projects managed by USAID. RANO WASH is USAID's largest water and sanitation project in Madagascar. Over a five-year period, the U.S. government is investing $30 million to improve access to water for hundreds of thousands of people in 250 rural communes in six regions of Madagascar that face a chronic shortage of drinking water.

For more information on the RANO WASH project, visit https://ranowash.org

Source: Press Release by U.S. Embassy Antananarivo / USAID Madagascar

ANTANANARIVO – The United States congratulates Madagascar on the successful arrival of 250,000 doses of the Covishield COVID-19 vaccine on May 8. This shipment was made possible through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, a global initiative to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The United States recently announced an initial $2 billion obligation — out of a total planned $4 billion — to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to support the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, making us the single largest contributor to global COVID-19 vaccine access. “I want to congratulate the Government of Madagascar for taking action to participate in COVAX and bring much needed vaccines to the Malagasy people,” U.S. Ambassador Michael Pelletier said. “The United States is proud to be the largest contributor to COVAX, helping to ensure the equitable delivery of safe and effective vaccines in Madagascar and around the globe.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that an infectious disease outbreak anywhere is a threat to people everywhere. It is a global problem that requires a global solution, and we are committed to collaborating with partners and governments to support global COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

The U.S. contributions to COVAX, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will support the purchase and delivery of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for the world’s most vulnerable and at-risk populations in 92 low- and middle-income countries. This support is critical to controlling the pandemic, slowing the emergence of new variants, and helping to restart the global economy. The United States will also continue to work with international donors to build further support for the COVAX Facility’s critical needs.

Throughout the pandemic, the United States has worked closely with the Government of Madagascar like “mpirahalahy mianala” to protect public health and strengthen the response to COVID-19. The United States has provided $2.5 million in emergency funding to support the Government of Madagascar’s COVID-19 response and repurposed $2.2 million worth of USAID health projects to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. This COVID response is just a part of U.S. government’s engagement in Madagascar’s health sector, where we are the largest single-country donor. In 2020 alone, the U.S. government provided $72 million to fund USAID’s health activities in Madagascar.

Source: U.S. Embassy Antananarivo / USAID Madagascar

2020 year has been mostly characterized by the spread and the prevalence of the deadly virus covid-19 contracting 80 million people as of 26 December 2020 and turning human lives upside down. Many sectors have been affected by the pandemic virus ranging from health, education, economy and more others as well as the human core values have been hugely disrupted leading both to social unrest and inducing a large number of mental breakdowns.

With its scope and long duration, the pandemic crisis has enormously caused havoc at many levels. More than 56 million of infected patients recovered while 1.76 million lives were lost. Besides, the pandemic has also provoked a high rate of stress, anxiety and depression associated with post-traumatic disorders. These are triggered by various factors such as the heavy toll of the virus, a family member loss, isolation due to lockdown restrictions, lay-offs, or business bankruptcies. Indeed, disparities have been found when dealing with the challenges posed by covid-19 like it has been proven by a study conducted by the international aid organization CARE. The study found that women were more likely to encounter mental health problems than men during the pandemic. The study outcome of indirect impacts of the crises revealed that among more than 10,000 men and women, 27 percent of women – compared to 10 percent of men – had reported increases in mental health issues. The report has also identified that due to the increasing number of unemployed, a lot of households worry about food, work, and health care. Women were also almost twice as likely to report that accessing quality healthcare services that they needed had been harder during the pandemic.

Promoting mental well-being

Mental health problem was so long taken for granted until it finally had to be addressed as it has turned into a serious global issue. Obviously, 2020 has been a difficult year for all people around the world but somehow behind any challenges and hardships there always lie opportunities and solutions. That is most importantly what this year taught each of us. The sanitary crisis gave rise to mental health awareness, promotion, and some prevention programmes. Mental health does not include only emotional and psychological well-being but also considers its social aspect. Being aware of the importance of one’s mental well-being is the first key step towards preventing mental health disorder and coping with stress. A few practical tips to maintain and promote one’s mental wellness especially in those times of crisis include practicing mindfulness and meditation, engaging in regular physical exercises, following a well-balanced diet, and maintaining healthier relationships. When lockdown restrictions end, go have a nature walk as well, it will help so much in handling stress. With the vaccine being rolled out in many countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, there is hope for better days. We start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Sources: Forbes / mentalhealth.gov / Covid-19 Statistics