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IOM GUYANA— COVID-19 RESPONE SITUATIONAL REPORT - APRIL-JUNE 2020 PUBLISHED ON JULY 3, 2020

HIGHLIGHTS • During the months of April to June, Guyana recorded a total number of 248 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 12

deaths and 116 recoveries. Seven of the ten administrative regions including the hinterland areas had recorded cases.

• The National COVID-19 Task force (NCTF) issued a number of emergency measures, including closure of all borders, a 6

AM to 6PM curfew, closure of all non-essential businesses. Online learning was implemented for schools and

telecommuting for public, private and humanitarian sectors. Health facilities functioned with limited capacities.

• The partial lockdown caused severe socio economic impact on migrants, the financial strain has resulted in migrants

being at risk of eviction and unable to meet their basic needs. Also, becoming vulnerable to Human Trafficking and

Smuggling (HTS), Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (SEA).

• To strengthen RCCE, IOM in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) and the Pan American

Development Foundation (PADF) translated essential COVID-19 information to Spanish, Portuguese and French.

• IOM worked with the MOPH to conduct COVID-19 screening at Points of Entry in Region one, a total of 1108 persons

including migrants and host community members were reached.

• In Region one and nine, IOM provided support to local authorities to install six hand wash stations, these were placed at

strategic points in an effort to maximize their reach and thus prevent infections.

• To tackle the socio economic impact, IOM supported 107 Venezuelan migrants with rent subsidies and emergency

shelter, 1031 with food items, and 929 with hygiene kits. 78 Cuban migrants were also supported with grocery

vouchers, and 115 Haitian migrants who received food and hygiene kits.

• In partnership with Voices GY, IOM provided online business training for 12 Venezuelan migrants, after completing the

course migrants will be eligible to receive an in-kind grant to start up their business.

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IOM GUYANA— COVID-19 RESPONE SITUATIONAL REPORT - APRIL-JUNE 2020 PUBLISHED ON JULY 3, 2020

SITUATION OVERVIEW During the months of April to June, Guyana recorded a total number of 248 confirmed

cases of COVID-19, with 12 deaths and 116 recoveries. With 2634 tests conducted

with 2386 being negative, 16 persons remain in individual quarantine and 2 in ICU.

Guyana has a an overall population of 779,004 persons.

In Guyana there are currently four active quarantine/Isolation facilities: Georgetown

Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), West Demerara Regional Hospital, Diamond

Diagnostic Center and Madewini Youth Center. A fifth facility will be an Infectious

Disease Hospital currently under construction. There is one testing center, the

National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL) located in Georgetown.

Everyone of the ten regions has a health center and/or hospital with isolation units,

samples are taken from persons displaying COVID-19 symptoms, and sent to

Georgetown for testing, the testing process takes eight hours utilizing the PCR

molecular testing methodology, no rapid testing is done. PAHO has donated over 4000

PCR testing kits and has indicated that they will donate as much as 20 000 kits to the

Ministry of Public Health (MOPH). As of May 20th, 2020, COVID-19 had already reached

7 out of 10 regions, regions 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10.

The national COVID-19 task force (NCTF), established in March by the President, implemented emergency measures such as

closure of the two international airports, the official points of entry of the borders between Guyana and Suriname, Brazil, and

Venezuela. Also, a 6AM to 6PM curfew was implemented, all public gatherings suspended, stay at home orders issued, and

only services deemed essential by the national COVID-19 task force could operate. Schools, and non-essential businesses, such

as bars and restaurants remain closed.

The effects of these measures created a severe socio-economic impact on the general population, and unevenly affected

migrants in the country. The continued loss of livelihood has hinder migrants’ ability to meet their basic needs, such as food

and basic hygiene and sanitation items. In addition, an increase in Gender Based Violence (GBV) has been reported as migrants

become much more vulnerable due to limited access to resources and lack of availability of services, particularly in the

hinterland areas and mining camps. Online learning was implemented however many migrants do not have access to ICT

technologies henceforth unable to attend these classes.

In June, the NCTF implemented a six-phase reopening strategy, phase one saw the emergency measures continue with schools

partially reopened to facilitate the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and repatriation flights being received.

© IOM GUYANA 2020 © IOM GUYANA 2020

IOM RESPONSE

1. COORDINATION AND PARTNERSHIPS

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IOM participates, in addition to the Interagency Coordination Platform under the Regional Response for the Venezuelan

situation, in both locally and at country level in the different COVID-19 Task Forces lead by the Government of Guyana

and by the local NGOs, to ensure coordination in the response, to monitor the arising needs and to explore areas of fur-

ther collaboration. IOM recently signed a cooperation agreement with the local authorities in Matarkai, Region 1 sub-

district in order to support their surveillance and screening capacities and to provide hand wash stations to promote

better hygiene practices. By late June, Region 1, bordering Venezuela had become the epicenter of COVID-19 cases.

IOM has worked closely with the Ministry of Public Health and other organizations such as the Panamerican Develop-

ment Foundation (PADF) to translate into Spanish, Portuguese and French Creole, relevant information on COVID-19

and preventive measures for dissemination amongst migrant population. This includes printed material as well as radio

spots. IOM has also engaged with migrants through WhatsApp groups to share information on the ongoing situation.

2. RISK COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY

ENGAGEMENT (RCCE)

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3. POINTS OF ENTRY (POE)

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IOM has joined the efforts of the Ministry of Public Health to pre-

vent the spread of COVID 19. In Region 1, IOM staff actively par-

ticipates in the Regional COVID 19 response team and has joined

outreaches to do health screening at various points of entry in

the Region, including the Mabaruma airstrip and the Morawhan-

na and Kumaka wharfs, and at the Anibisi Check Point in the

Matarkai sub-district. In addition, screening was also done in

schools where students gradually came back to classes.

IOM in coordination with local authorities is setting up handwash

stations in host communities receiving migrants.

IOM has installed three handwash stations in Lethem, Region 9,

bordering city with Brazil where there is a large population of mi-

grants. The handwash stations are to be placed in strategic places,

one being the regional public hospital and two more in public areas

where access to sanitation facilities is limited, especially for mi-

grants living in those areas.

In Region 1, three hand wash stations have been installed in bor-

dering communities with high mobility, these are Port Kaituma,

Arakaka and Mathews Ridge.

4. INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL (IPC)

In June, IOM staff screened :

240 persons in the Mabaruma Sub-District;

565 persons in the Matarkai Sub-District and;

Conducted follow-up calls with 303 individuals from Moruca who were home quarantined as well as COVID 19 patients at the

local hospital.

The setting of handwash stations is being

accompanied by awareness raising sessions

with critical information regarding COVID 19,

preventive and safety measures and hygiene

practices.

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5. ADDRESSING SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS

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IOM Guyana continues to provide emergency shelter and rent subsidies for Venezuelan migrants who face risk of evic-

tion due to the loss of jobs and livelihoods. This has been done particularly in Regions 4, 9 and in partnership with

Blossom Inc. in Region 2 and 7. In addition, IOM continues to provide food and non-food assistance to migrants, in-

cluding face masks and sanitation products.

To date IOM has supported:

307 migrants, 109 women and 74 men, and 124 children with rent subsidies and emergency shelter

1,031 migrants, including 374 children, 355 women and 302 men with Food items

929 migrants, 368 women and 237 men and 324 children with hygiene and sanitation kits

IOM also provided assistance to 78 Cuban migrants, 28 women and 31 men, and 19 children through food and gro-

cery vouchers. And a total of 115 Haitians migrants, 34 women and 43 men, including 38 children were supported

with food and hygiene kits.

Furthermore, through a partnership with Voices

GY, a local NGO, is providing online business de-

velopment training to 12 Venezuelan migrants,

8 men and 4 women, this training includes one on

one sessions, webinars, development of learning

material.

After successfully completed the course and de-

velop a business plan, migrants will receive an in

kind grant to start up their own business. This will

allow them to start recovering from the difficult

economic situation faced due to COVID 19 preven-

tive and safety measures and the loss of current

jobs and livelihoods.

International Organization for Migration

107 – 108 Duke Street, Georgetown, Guyana.

Email: iomguyana@iom.int

Telephone: 592-225-3745

© IOM GUYANA 2020 © IOM GUYANA 2020