Japan and UNICEF partner to support Senegal in its COVID-19 Response
COVID-19 has placed a heavy burden on the health and social service systems in Senegal
Dakar, 19 April 2021 – COVID-19 has placed a heavy burden on the health and social service systems in Senegal. Swift support from the Government of Japan from May 2020 has been crucial in helping to relieve this burden. With a $2.6 million donation from the Government of Japan, UNICEF took action to support the Government in strengthen the management of the COVID crisis and reinforce the health system to provide a better quality of treatment for its people.
There was a ceremony to hand over supplies on 13 April 2021 at Aristide le Dantec Hospital in Dakar, with the Minister of Health, the Japanese Ambassador, and UNICEF’s Representative to Senegal.
UNICEF trained 1,000 health and hygiene workers in infection prevention and control and delivered supplies to 16 COVID treatment centers across the country, where over 5,000 cases have been managed to date.
“Thanks to the generous support of the Government and people of Japan, UNICEF was able to act decisively in response to COVID-19 by providing key hygiene and medical supplies, as well as, prevention measures to benefit more than 390,000 vulnerable people and children,”
Japan’s support proved pivotal in ensuring continuity of essential health, nutrition and child protection services for 150,000 vulnerable children, women and their families during the crisis. The pandemic affected all aspects of Senegal’s health system, including delivery of routine services. Early in the pandemic, the number of people seeking medical care dropped due to fears of infection. Making sure maternal, child and infant health services could continue was a priority.
UNICEF distributed vital supplies to treat 5,560 severely malnourished children, provided equipment to 13 neonatal units to care for 8,500 sick newborns, and improved management of acute respiratory infections for 74,000 children by training healthcare workers and providing oxygen.
The COVID-19 crisis put children facing neglect, violence abuse and exploitation at even greater risk. The grant from Japan enabled UNICEF to improve protection of 1,200 children in street and unsanitary settings, particularly those deprived of parental care. UNICEF supported social welfare services and transit centres to detect at-risk children and provide temporary care and family reintegration. UNICEF also trained social workers to provide urgent psychosocial support to over 2,500 children and families.
Japan’s Ambassador to Senegal, praised UNICEF for its “remarkable work and considerable results achieved,” in response to COVID-19 in Senegal. “The dynamic partnership between the Government of Japan and UNICEF has brought effective support to Senegal in its fight against COVID-19, especially for women and children,”
Thanks to the generosity of donors, including Japan, UNICEF could act quickly to mitigate the impact of this unprecedented crisis on vulnerable children and families. UNICEF, together with its partners, will continue to support the Government in its efforts to ensure all children in Senegal can access essential services, such as education, health, nutrition, and are protected against all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
For more information, please contact
Emna Kayouli, Partnerships Specialist | UNICEF Office Senegal | ekayouli@unicef.org
Moussa Diop, Communication Officer| UNICEF Office Senegal | mdiop@unicef.org
