Emergency response to COVID-19 and infectious disease outbreaks including measles and acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) in target high-risk districts of Afghanistan's provinces (Kandahar, Herat ,Helmand, Balkh and Kunduz) This proposed project, in line with the humanitarian’s priorities within the framework of the Afghanistan multi-year HRP (2022) will contribute, in coordination and partnership with WHO, the Ministry of Public Health and others relevant health cluster actors, to the reduction of morbidity and mortality of vulnerable Afghans in the areas of highest needs. This includes underserved mobile and some of the hardest-to-reach locations in epidemic-prone disease (EPD) high-risk districts along target border provinces in Afghanistan. 

This project is also in line with health cluster response priorities to ensure timely, equitable lifesaving health care is provided to people in need, through a holistic approach to humanitarian health assistance that also enables the health system to perform its essential functions, respond to emergencies, prevent, detect and respond to outbreaks of Epidemic Prone Disease (EPD)_ and protect the health of vulnerable populations.

Building on existing IOM Migration Health programming and in coordination with the Health Cluster (HC) sub-regional teams in targeted provinces, this project will specifically support:

 COVID-19 response and case management, including support to 2 COVID-19 hospitals (Kandahar and Nimroz), as well as the provision of COVID-19 vaccination, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) on EPD (COVID-19, Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD), measles, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Dengue Fever), including demand generation for vaccines and awareness raising in Kandahar and Nimroz provinces.

 Integrated Infectious diseases outbreak response (e.g., AWD, measles, CCHF, Dengue Fever) with the particular with the focus on measles and AWD through 12 Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), deployed in four provinces (Kandahar, Helmand, Balkh and Kunduz) and the support for the functioning of a Cholera Treatment Center (CTC) at Comprehensive Health Center (CHC) level in Kandahar. Whilst a particular focus will be placed on screening for AWD and measles, RRT staff will also (where possible and feasible) screen for other infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and make referrals as appropriate.

These targeted provinces, selected as priority areas by the HC for further expansion of intervention coverage in 2022, are characterized by high return and displacement and are among the 15 identified with extreme severity of needs based on overall severity ranking (according to inter cluster-need prioritization, Sept-Dec 2021). IOM stands ready to strengthen public health response capacities to save lives, while addressing migration and displacement drivers and mitigating mid-term impacts of the crisis in Afghanistan.

The preparatory period for the project will be minimal as almost all arrangements (staff, building, equipment etc.) are already in place. As support for COVID-19 hospitals is mainly justified by current epidemiological trends in a context of lack of sustainable funding, IOM, in consultation with the Health Cluster, may consider rescheduling any available balance in the event of a favorable change, inclusive of the resumption of World Bank funding tentatively expected in July. 

The project targets a total of 816,390 persons.