UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st May, 2020) The United Nations is seeking $69 million to provide "life-saving assistance" to Ukraine amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Friday.
"The COVID-19 plan for Ukraine is seeking $69 million to reach over two million people with life-saving assistance until the end of the year," Dujarric said.
The spokesman noted that the United Nations and its humanitarian partners in Ukraine are supporting the government-led response to the COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen laboratories, detect capacity and boost national and regional networks.
Dujarric explained the pandemic has disrupted limited economic activities in eastern Ukraine which has already been devastated by more than six years of armed conflict.
"The UN and our humanitarian partners, their support includes procurement of personal protective equipment and test kits, including the conflict-affected areas on both sides of the contact line. The ability to organize humanitarian aid convoys through the contact lines remains limited and we continue to advocate for unimpeded access to conflict areas and the conflict-impacted population on both sides of the contact line," Dujarric said.
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. To date, more than 3.2 million people have been infected with the virus worldwide with over 232,000 fatalities, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
