RPT - Central African Republic Violence Complicates COVID-19 Response - MINUSCA

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th April, 2021) Efforts of the Central African government to mount an anti-coronavirus response have been hindered by the latest waves of violence by rebels who ignored calls to allow free movement of humanitarian workers, the head of the UN peacekeeping mission MUNISCA told Sputnik.

"MINUSCA spent $7,563,019 on COVID-19 related support projects and equipment to assist and support the authorities to implement protection measures though this is very difficult in a country where people survive on their day-to-day life and wages and any disruption makes it difficult for the population to cope," Mankeur Ndiaye said.

The UN official said he had called on the armed groups, which control most of the nation's territory, to halt operations after the UN secretary general appealed for a global ceasefire in March last year. The militants defied the calls by launching several attacks through winter.

The country is expecting a delivery of COVID-19 vaccines in the coming weeks through the COVAX shot-sharing mechanism. Ndiaye said that MUNISCA would coordinate with the car government and UN charities on a "coherent and concerted" vaccination campaign, which might be muddled by the rebels.

"The health workers who do the vaccinations will require access in order to vaccinate the population," he said.

Ndiaye praised cooperation with the CAR government on the COVID-19 response at the strategic, technical, and operational levels, as well as donations of essential supplies by UN charities, who helped transport samples to the country's only labs in the capital and rehabilitate severely ill people.