Scaling up COVID-19 preparedness and response in northwest Syria This project seeks financing to protect vulnerable populations in northwest Syria in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic through gap filling approach in areas across the pillars 2- 8 of the COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan: 2. Risk communication and community/public engagement 3. Surveillance, Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), and case investigation 4. Point of entry 5. Laboratory 6. Case management  7. Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) 8. Operational support and logistics. With regard to the community health workers (CHWs) program response to COVID-19 (Pillar 2), WHO will enhance the level of population awareness of the COVID-19 and enhance preparedness of population to cope with the outbreak. More specifically, WHO will support local coordination of awareness activities review community leaders to be engaged conduct capacity building program to train CHWs on COVID-19 response develop and print IEC materials including banners, billboards, posters establish a central hotline and coordination team establish sub-district reporting networks for suspected cases (funded from WHO by a different source) establish a community survey for COVID-19 assessment recruit and train CHWs in the subdistricts with gaps identify community volunteers to provide PPE for CHWs teams (funded from WHO by a different source) provide basic hygiene items to be distributed in the outreach activities. With regards to EWARN response (Pillars 3 and 5), WHO will support the partner in surveillance and laboratory activities including a Training of Trainers (ToT) for 26 District Level Officers (DLOs), trainings on surveillance and response for 200 EWARN staff, enhance existing ILI and SARI surveillance to actively search for COVID-19, enhance monitoring and reporting of disease trends using appropriate data analysis, activate RRT and case-based reporting, contact tracing, follow up and share data with WHO per IHR, activate CBS in camps, as well as activate labs in Idlib to test for ILI/SARS/COVID-19 and scale-up training for staff. With regards to the primary healthcare (PHC) response to COVID-19 (Pillars 4, 6, 7, and 8), WHO will establish 7 points of entries (POE) to screen travelers, hire staff, as well as provide PPE, vehicles for transportation, and basic IPC training. With regards to secondary and tertiary healthcare (STHC) response (Pillar 6), WHO will maintain the operations, logistics, and human resources of three hospitals with specialized intensive care unit (ICU) capacity for confirmed COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms and underlying chronic conditions. With regards to non-communicable disease management (Pillar 2), WHO will support primary healthcare centers working in non-communicable diseases and will ensure supply of NCD kits. More specifically, WHO will provide NCD messages specific for elderly and immunocompromised patients procure essential NCD drugs provide care via telemedicine for specific NCD patients with confirmed COVID-19 and those in ICUs and provide PPEs for NCD Care Teams within primary healthcare facilities. With regards to mental health program response (Pillars 2 and 6), WHO will implement mental health activities to respond to COVID-19 threat and potential outbreak in northwestern Syria. More specifically, WHO will produce IEC materials, will create and support mental health mobile clinics, create a MHPSS helpline for healthcare workers and COVID-19 patients and train  WASH staff, camp workers, community leaders, imams, youth leaders, women’s groups. The expected number of direct beneficiaries is 1,661,199.