Covid-19 Is a Call for Unity

Covid-19 has swept across the planet like a tsunami. It is up to us how many waves of infection will follow. As we approach the year mark for the worldwide Covid-19 crisis, it is important to reflect on the progress made and on the challenges we must meet to emerge from this stronger than before.

As the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres remarked at this year's virtual UN General Assembly, marking the 75th anniversary of the UN, "Covid-19 is not only a wake-up call, it is a dress rehearsal for the world of challenges to come."

What strengths of the Covid-19 response can we build on?

Collaboration is vital to battle a virus that respects no boundaries and does not discriminate. Although time is never on our side in a swiftly moving pandemic, UN agencies and humanitarian partners worked with the government of Bangladesh to take quick action to support communities in responding to this virus.

Following the first official reports of Covid-19 in Bangladesh in March, frontline workers leapt into action. UN staff have been working alongside them, without interruption, despite restrictions on movement, risks to their health, and even after seeing colleagues lose their lives to Covid-19. The courage of the frontline workers including doctors, nurses, midwifes, police officers, and sanitation workers—as they continue supporting those most vulnerable to Covid-19—is an inspiration for us all to do our part to control this virus.

The UN and partners have worked closely with the government in developing the Covid-19 Bangladesh Preparedness and Response Plan (BPRP) which lays out guidance for a response that spans a range of interventions. This includes strengthening the health system, testing capacity, training health workers, and creating guidelines for Covid-19 management which have all been top priorities in support of the government for the World Health Organization (WHO), the leading authority on the new virus.

WHO and the World Food Programme (WFP) are coordinating a UN Supply Chain Task Force to secure and distribute essential supplies and equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE), testing kits, and medical devices for treatment of severe cases. Despite disruptions to global supply chains, UN agencies and partners have supported the government's Covid-19 response by securing more than USD 13 million in medical supplies for Bangladesh, with another USD 30 million of supplies in the pipeline. This support has been made possible through a partnership with the World Bank, FSCO and USAID and other donors, in collaboration with UNICEF, UNFPA, IOM, UNHCR, UNDP and international partners including MSF and Save the Children.

The UN has been working closely with BRAC and civil society to encourage infection prevention and control practices, such as mask wearing, distancing, and regular disinfection, and to support the government in accelerating post-lockdown recovery. The UN is supporting online education for students, providing new opportunities for migrant workers to make a living, and tackling a rise in gender-based violence with UN Women leading the charge. The Community Support Team (CST) initiative has been particularly helpful to families in urban Dhaka by providing an evaluation of Covid-19 symptoms, referrals to health providers for care, and giving families food and essential supplies to safely quarantine at home to slow community transmission.

The government of Bangladesh has already joined the WHO COVAX initiative, which aims to ensure equitable access and distribution of vaccines across the globe, because no one is safe until everyone is safe. WHO and UNICEF are working with the government to make sure the country is well-prepared for an immunisation drive.

In a country of 165 million people, Bangladesh has so far kept Covid-19 deaths below 10,000. But despite the relatively low death rate, even one life lost is one too many and the negative impacts of Covid-19 are felt in other ways too. There may be long-term health problems stemming from Covid-19 infections, economic ramifications for years to come, a rise in gender-based violence, rampant misinformation, and the erosion of trust in health systems and government. Surviving a wave of infection is like winning a battle, but the fight is far from over and we must not get complacent.

What are the challenges ahead?

We cannot fight an enemy that we do not understand. We must support research and a science-based approach to pandemic management in order to be successful. The research and innovation in Bangladesh on Covid-19 will provide insights to help guide the national response and contribute to the global knowledge base. We all have a part to play and can commit to a #PledgetoPause before sharing information so that we can check first that it is true.

We must support the strengthening of health systems and ensure universal access to quality health care. This means expanding the number of skilled health workers and building robust health information systems with the capacity for managing large-scale emergencies. As long as this virus is actively circulating in the world, there is a chance of getting infected and a risk of reinfection that isn't guaranteed to be milder than the first. The safest course of action is to #MaskUpBangladesh and abide by the "no mask, no service" national policy. This means wearing a mask properly over your nose, mouth, and chin when around other people, and of course, keeping a safe distance from others, minimising potential exposure time in public places, and regularly washing our hands and high-contact surfaces.

Covid-19 can take a serious toll on mental health which calls for investment in socio-economic safety nets and psychological support services. Physical distancing doesn't have to become socially isolating! We can nurture a culture of kindness where we regularly reach out to our friends, family, and neighbours to check that they are okay. We can extend kindness to strangers and volunteer to help our communities. In this way, we can overcome stigma and discrimination and use Covid-19 as an opportunity to foster greater compassion and solidarity.

Pandemic fatigue has already begun to settle in, but we are seeing the impact of relaxing infection prevention and control measures, as multiple countries experience a surge in cases which is straining their health systems. The solution to pandemic fatigue is not to ease restrictions while transmission is rising, but to invest in stronger risk communication campaigns and community programmes that bolster support to keep up the good fight. Better understanding the different levels of risk in different situations will help people to make informed decisions about their activities.

This year, we have learned many lessons, and keeping an open mind to new evidence will help us learn many more. We have reasons to be hopeful. Concerted action and a willingness to change course in response to changing information will help us catch up and get ahead of this virus. We will continue working with the government to meet the challenges of Covid-19 and to build back better for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Covid-19 is a call to action for unity because this virus cannot be defeated by any country or community alone. Good health is a fundamental human right, and the foundation for global peace and prosperity.

Mia Seppo is the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh. Dr Bardan Jung Rana is WHO Representative to Bangladesh.