In Covid-19 Response Plan for Iraq, UN Migration Agency Aims to Expand Hygiene Services

The International Organization for Migration released its Covid-19 response plan for Iraq.

The organization intends to help the country stabilize its healthcare system and prevent the spread of the virus among high-risk populations: refugees, internally displaced people, and the poor.

“The COVID-19 outbreak threatens to paralyze an already fragile system and impact the many communities who are still vulnerable and recovering from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant crisis and subsequent economic downturn,” the response plan states.

The IOM is targeting an expansion of water, sanitation, and hygiene services, particularly in refugee camps. Another area of concern is southern Iraq, where residents have protested in recent years about dirty water and substandard health care.

Goals include installing handwashing stations at the entrance to all camps and informal settlements and at points where people congregate. Soap and detergents will also be distributed.

Iraq has about 1.4 million internally displaced people and 300,000 living in camps. As of April 24, there were 1,677 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country.