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UN / YEMEN SYRIA HUMANITARIAN UPDATES
STORY: UN / YEMEN SYRIA HUMANITARIAN UPDATES
TRT: 2:51
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 23 APRIL 2020, NEW YORK CITY
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior UN headquarters
23 APRIL 2020, NEW YORK CITY
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Turning to Yemen, in a statement issued today, the Humanitarian Coordinator for that country, Lise Grande, said that agencies are rushing to help authorities suppress the spread of COVID-19 and to prepare and equip facilities. The World Health Organization (WHO) is funding 333 Rapid Response Teams, present in every district across Yemen, responsible for detecting, assessing, alerting and responding to suspected virus cases. People can reach out to these teams through multiple channels, including newly established hotlines.
WHO is also equipping and helping to upgrade specialized isolation units in the 37 hospitals across the country that authorities have designated for the pandemic. Thirty-two hospitals have received equipment and seven specialized isolation units are now fully operational. The remaining thirty will be fully operational within the next two weeks, with funding from the World Health Organization.
WHO has also moved quickly to procure, transport and distribute 520 intensive care unit beds and 208 ventilators. WHO has purchased 1,000 more ICU beds and 400 ventilators and will be transporting and distributing these as soon as conditions permit it.”
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
3. Wide shot, exterior UN headquarters
23 APRIL 2020, NEW YORK CITY
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“And today’s Humanitarian Task Force meeting on Syria, convened virtually in Geneva. The Senior Humanitarian Adviser Najat Rochdi emphasized the need for immediate, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian workers to allow for the movement of humanitarian supplies. That includes urgent needs related to COVID-19.
Humanitarian needs in Syria remain extensive, with more than 11 million people requiring some form of humanitarian assistance. That includes 4.7 million people living in areas of high severity of needs. The response needed for COVID-19 has added to these demands.
The Syrian Government and de facto authorities in areas outside government control continue to prepare for and respond to the threat of the COVID-19 virus. Severe challenges remain, however, including the living conditions of internally displaced persons, shortages of staff and medical equipment, and in areas that have seen heavy conflict, there is also a lack of adequate healthcare facilities.
Rising food prices in Syria, where more than 11 million women, children and men are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, is also an increasing concern. Prices have more than doubled in the last year, rising by 107 per cent across the country.”
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
5. Wide shot, exterior UN headquarters
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric updated reporters on the COVID-19 response in Yemen and the work of the work of the Humanitarian Task Force on Syria.
In a statement issued today (23 Apr), the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, Lise Grande, said agencies are rushing to help authorities suppress the spread of COVID-19 and to prepare and equip facilities.
Dujarric said the World Health Organization (WHO) is funding 333 Rapid Response Teams, present in “every district across Yemen, responsible for detecting, assessing, alerting and responding to suspected virus cases.” He said people could reach out to these teams through multiple channels, including newly established hotlines.
The UN spokesperson said WHO is also equipping and helping to upgrade specialized isolation units in the 37 hospitals across the country that authorities have designated for the pandemic. He added, “Thirty-two hospitals have received equipment and seven specialized isolation units are now fully operational. The remaining thirty will be fully operational within the next two weeks, with funding from the World Health Organization.”
Dujarric noted that WHO had also “moved quickly to procure, transport and distribute 520 intensive care unit beds and 208 ventilators. WHO has purchased 1,000 more ICU beds and 400 ventilators and will be transporting and distributing these as soon as conditions permit it.”
Turning to Syria, the UN Spokesperson said the Humanitarian Task Force meeting on Syria was convened virtually in Geneva. The Senior Humanitarian Adviser Najat Rochdi emphasized the need for immediate, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian workers to allow for the movement of humanitarian supplies, including urgent needs related to COVID-19.
Dujarric said humanitarian needs in Syria remain extensive, with more than 11 million people requiring some form of humanitarian assistance. That includes 4.7 million people living in areas of high severity of needs. The response needed for COVID-19 has added to these demands.
He said the Syrian Government and de facto authorities in areas outside government control “continue to prepare for and respond to the threat of the COVID-19 virus.” He added, “Severe challenges remain, however, including the living conditions of internally displaced persons, shortages of staff and medical equipment, and in areas that have seen heavy conflict, there is also a lack of adequate healthcare facilities.”
The UN spokesperson underscored that rising food prices in Syria, “where more than 11 million women, children and men are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, is also an increasing concern.” Prices have more than doubled in the last year, rising by 107 per cent across the country.
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