Libya has fastest spread of Covid-19 in North Africa

In an official report, the OCHA stated that the effort to stay home to save lives is not a luxury most Libyan can afford due to ongoing conflict and the internal security threats and political and economic crisis.

The report stated that nearly four hundred thousand Libyans remain displaced as a result of the recent war in the country and added that the lack of basic services and continued power and water cuts that affect a third of the Libyan population make it impossible for people to practice simple but necessary measures.

The report also pointed that since the start of the pandemic, the UN has supported the development of preparedness and immediate response plans together with the Libyan Government and partners with total funding of $46.7 million, while bolstering coordination among UN agencies, as well as international and local NGOs.

The report went on to detail some prominent points in the UN’s efforts to tackle the virus in Libya and its long term effect on the country, noting that The World Health Organization has provided the National Laboratory with equipment for personal protection and PCR diagnostic kits as well as supported the ministry of health and the national centre for disease control by providing the latest information on the virus and updating the national guideline on preparation.

The OCHA concluded that the UN will continue to support Libya’s national health and local institution to strengthen their systems to safeguard progress towards Sustainable Development Goals, including addressing stigma and discrimination arising from the spread of the virus.