Within the framework of the European Union (EU) Trust Fund for Africa, the EU provides €1 million to International Medical Corps (IMC) in Libya for a new program which aims to support the country’s health system by providing health services to vulnerable populations most affected by conflict and the challenging situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through this project, IMC will equip and train the staff of two primary healthcare centers and one hospital in Tripoli to respond to the challenges caused by COVID-19 and enable them to continue to provide normal healthcare services.

One of the main challenges in Libya is a shortage of personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, respirator masks, etc.), which is essential to keep health workers and patients safe from infection.

This project will distribute this essential equipment to the staff of these facilities and train them on the correct use of it as well as on the correct treatment of suspected/confirmed COVID-19 patients.

To support the hospital, IMC will also work closely with the Libyan Ministry of Health and National Center for Disease Control to expand the physical and operational capacity of the hospital’s Isolation Unit with added beds, furniture and wall dividers.

Training will cover more than the health impacts of COVID-19 to enable health workers to respond to the psychological effects of the virus and movement restrictions on patients.