Myanmar COVID-19 Emergency Response (M-COVER) - Phase 2 Project in Kachin, Northern Shan, and Kayin States When COVID-19 was identified in Myanmar on 23rd March, CPI launched the Myanmar COVID-19 community-based Emergency Response (M-COVER) Phase-1 project. The aim of the project was to provide essential medicines, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to Ethnic health and community based organizations (ECBHOs) and Ministry of Health and Sport (MoHS) across the country. Moreover, emergency envelopes fund and COVID-19 trainings were provided to ECBHOs in Kachin, Shan, Kayin, Mon, Ayeyarwaddy, Sagaing, and other areas in Myanmar. For this comprehensive response, CPI mobilized funding from Access to Health Fund, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, CPI unrestricted core fund, and MHF. CPI procured and distributed surgical gloves, surgical mask, PPE set, hand sanitizers, COVID-19 vinyl and posters in both Ethnic and Myanmar language, N-95 mask, non-contact thermometer, megaphones, portable pulse oximeters, soaps and other supplies to 11 Ethnic Health Organizations, and State and township health departments in Kachin, Shan, Kayin, Mon, and Rakhine, and other small community based organizations. This project filled up at least 2 months supplies for COVID-19 preparedness and response activities. M-COVER phase 1 project is completed in April 2020, and the final report will be released tentatively in May 2020. All supplies were sent to ECBHOs in the second week of April, therefore most ECBHOs will face shortage in June 2020. Moreover, some IDP camps in Kayin were not included in phase 1 response. Therefore, this proposed project is the continuation of M-COVER phase 1 project. It will contribute parts of the phase 1 project areas, and it is simply named as M-COVER phase 2 project. 

Project areas include 15 IDP camps in Waingmaw and Myitkyina Townships and quarantine sites in Kachin, 5 facility based clinics in Manton, Tanyang, and Lashio townships in Northern Shan, Myaing Gyi Ngu IDP camp in Hlaingbwe township and 27 facilities and Ee Thu Hta IDP camp in Hpa-pun township in Kayin State.

Main objectives are 1. To flatten the epidemic curve via provision of materials for risk communication, promoting hand hygiene and social distancing, and conducting disease surveillance and entry point screening in most remote areas and IDP camps 2. To raise the capacity of ECBHO and government health facilities via joint capacity building and provision of supplies (including PPE, hand sanitizers, disinfectant, face mask, non-contact thermometers) for infection prevention and control in order to be prepared and ready for the COVID-19 pandemic in Kachin, Northern Shan and Kayin States.

For the objective 1, CPI will mobilize existing partners, Kachin Back Pack Health Workers Team (Kachin BPHWT) and Ta’ang Health Committee (THC). Kachin BPHWT will work 15 IDP camps located in Waingmaw and Myitkyina townships. They will conduct disease surveillance, risk communication and awareness raising, hygiene kit distribution, distribution of non-food items, psychosocial support to quarantined people, and referral support for COVID-19 suspected/confirmed cases. Kachin BPHWT will cover a total IDP population of 9131 with 2939 men, 2904 women, 1582 boys, and 1706 girls. THC will conduct risk communication, disease surveillance, support to quarantine sites, hygiene kit distribution, continuous provision of essential health services and referral support for COVID-19 suspected/confirmed cases in 57 hard-to-reach villages in Manton, Tanyang, and Lashio Townships in Northern Shan with a total population of 24922 people (6957 men, 7996 women, 4637 boys, and 5332 girls).

For the objective 2, CPI will provide PPE items including gown, mask, glove, face shield, boots, etc. to Kachin State Health Department (SHD), and Station Medical Hospital in Myaing Gyi Ngu. In Non-government controlled areas (NGCs), CPI will provide same PPE items to 27 ECBHO health facilities in Hpa-pun and Ee Thu Hta IDP camp, 5 health facilities under THC, and 5 mobile teams under BPHWT.