Providing basic requirements for prevention of COVID-19 to poor households
- Female workers in informal sector with considerable economic impacts due to the pandemicget financial support
- Australia is supporting Vietnam’s long-term response to COVID-19
- Vietnam, Japan co-ordinate efforts to support people amid COVID-19
- Da Nang supports 90,000 people facing difficulties due to COVID-19
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Embassy of Japan in Ha Noi announced the provision of basic support to poor and vulnerable households in Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan and Ca Mau provinces for the prevention of COVID-19. This support includes the provision of 1,300 packages of personal protective equipment and 1,300 water tanks for storage of clean water.
This initiative is part of the generous financial support from the people of Japan under the Japan Supplementary Budget (COVID-19) to 11 countries in Asia and the Pacific, including Viet Nam. UNDP is responsible for technical support and overall management and delivery of this support.
According to the most recent UNDP assessment of the multiple impacts of COVID-19 and droughts in Southern regions (South Central Coastal and Mekong Delta) the poor, near poor and vulnerable households, including small holder farmers and informal workers, are among the most affected.
Combination of COVID-19 and drought/saltwater intrusion reduced household-level revenues by 55%. An average of 54% of households in Bac Lieu, Binh Thuan and Ca Mau faced extreme impacts caused by the combined impacts of COVID 19 and drought/saltwater intrusion. Especially, poor households spent significantly more on water, electricity, and food during COVID-19 social distancing period; some had to sell their livestock.
As a result, the poor and near poor currently have limited ability to provide for the basic needs of their families including their ability to prevent COVID-19. They lack resources to procure water storage or hygiene items that are essential for protection against COVID-19.
