Responding to COVID-19 in Guatemala using Digital Health

This project aims to decrease COVID-19 related mortality and morbidity in Guatemala especially within Indigenous populations in the target regions of Alta Verapaz El Quiche Huehuetenango and Sololá. The project intends to strengthen the capacity of 3 500 health personnel to use digital systems to maintain quality and intercultural health services particularly for women girls and those experiencing marginalization or vulnerability. Project activities include: (1) providing equipment to deliver distance education programs to priority Ministry of Health training sites; (2) providing training to health personnel and authorities to deliver COVID-19 distance education training; (3) providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Health to develop standardization practices and resources for culturally-sensitive teleconsultation in response to COVID-19; and (4) providing training to health personnel to use a nationally integrated digital system to collect and monitor COVID-19 data. This initiative expects to improve health services for 3.7 million people in Alta Verapaz El Quiche Huehuetenango and Sololá in Guatemala. This includes 3.1 million Indigenous people (1.6 million women and girls).

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved community response to and recovery from COVID-19 that includes specific measures for women girls and Indigenous populations experiencing marginalization or vulnerability in target regions; and (2) strengthened COVID-19 preparedness and equitable response by the Ministry of Health and key stakeholders especially for Indigenous populations experiencing marginalization or vulnerability in target regions.