Strengthening COVID-19 Response (SCORE)

This project aims to reduce COVID-19-related mortality and morbidity in populations particularly those who are marginalized or vulnerable in selected districts of Bangladesh Ghana and Mozambique. Project activities include: (1) disseminating messages to in-school and out-of-school groups of adolescents on COVID-19 gender equality gender roles and responsibilities mental health sexual and gender-based violence and adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights; (2) disseminating strategies and messages to community traditional and religious leaders to promote positive coping mechanisms and to engage them in adapting traditional practices such as greetings and burial and mourning ceremonies; (3) providing training and support to health workers and health facility staff on infection prevention and control triage management of COVID-19 cases mental health and psychosocial support services management of health-care waste and management referral and reporting of sexual and gender-based violence; (4) procuring and distributing personal protective equipment and essential maternal newborn and child health and sexual and reproductive health supplies and equipment including family planning commodities to health facilities community health workers and support staff; and (5) providing training and support to community health committee members on gender-sensitive COVID-19 control and counselling related to safe practices and vaccine acceptance. The project expects to reach 452 794 beneficiaries including 218 513 women of reproductive age (WRA) and 202 152 men and adolescents in the three target countries.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) improved community response to and recovery from COVID-19 that include specific measures for women girls and those experiencing marginalization or vulnerability; and (2) increased equitable coverage of public health and health care services for people infected with and/or affected by COVID-19.