Provision of lifesaving health and nutrition services in COVID-19 high risk districts of Herat province The proposed project aims to respond to the population affected by COVID-19 through provision of integrated health and nutrition services in 11 priority districts of Herat province Kohsan district ( Islam Qala) Ghoryan, Gulran, Guzara, Hirat, Injil, Karukh, Kohsan, Kushk(Robat Sangi), Obe, Pashtun Zarghun and Shindand. AADA will undertake the following key interventions:
Health: 
All staff involved in this project will be trained to support Risk Communications amp Community Engagement to increase public awareness on COVID-19 risk mitigation, positive coping strategies and social cohesion using the MOPH approved Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials through community health workers (CHWs), outreach social workers, mobile health and nutrition teams (MHNT) and available platforms/communication channels. Tracking of the rumors, feedback, concerns and questions and their sources, and share with Risk Communication and Community Engagement Working Group RCCE WG will be done through this project. In total 1574 (780 male and 794 female) CHWs will trained on community based response who will then conduct a four hours orientation session on COVID-19 prevention and positive coping strategies to an estimated 47,720 (23760 male and 23760 female) community members including religious leaders in 792 remote villages. Each session will consist of 20 participant considering infection prevention measures and physical distance. Under this action, capacity of existing 29 remote Basic Health Center (BHC) and Health Sub-Center (HSC) will be enhanced by recruiting two outreach social workers (male and female) in each -to conduct outreach screening/referral and community awareness of preventive activities and tracing of the people who were in contact with confirmed cases of COVID-19. Given the existing gaps in ambulance services for COVID-19 suspected cases, nine well-equipped ambulance units will be established in nine of 11 target districts to support referring of suspected cases to nearest hospitals and rapid response teams ( funded by World Bank ) in the district centers for testing and further follow-up -including evacuation to isolation centers. 
Infection prevention and control measures will be supported at the health facilities level by establishing hand washing facilities and provision of personal protection equipment (PPE) and hygiene products to front line health and nutrition workers.
Ambulance unit with two nurses (one male and one female)will be established in Islam Qala entry point to support the existing HFs in zero point in screening the incoming people from Iran and immediate refer of suspected case to nearest hospital. 
Nutrition: 
Five MHNTs will be established and maintained in underserved areas of five COVID-19 high risk districts  (Kohsan, Kushk (Robat Sangi), Obe, Pashtun Zarghun and Shindand) to provide Outpatient Department of Severe Acute Malnutrition (OPD-SAM), Outpatient Department of Moderate Acute Malnutrition (OPD-MAM), services to acutely malnourished boys and girls (6 to 59 months) and Acutely Malnourished Pregnant and Lactating Women (AM PLW), Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses (IMNCI) to children under five years old age, primary health care including immunization to boys , girls , men and women IYCF-E and Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) counselling services to target beneficiaries  . Nutrition sites will be established by recruiting nutrition female nurses in 15 HSCs remote to implement Blanket Supplementary Food (BSF) distribution to protect the nutritional status of children 5-59 months and PLWs. In total 348 male and 353 female CHWs will be trained for three days on nutrition basics and IYCF-E counselling to enable them to provide IYCF-E counselling to mothers/caregivers in the catchment area of the health post (HPs).