As of 18 July, 4,485 people have tested positive for COVID-19. We are committed to continuing care for all our patients and staff in our 13 projects around the country, ensuring that all needed supplies and medications are available.
In the capital, Bangui, MSF is building a treatment centre to aid in the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms. The new centre will treat severe and critical patients through oxygen therapy and palliative care, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
We have launched preventative measures to help protect 7,500 people living with HIV in four outpatient treatment centres in Bangui. Our teams are distributing soap and masks, providing basic food supplies, and hosting awareness sessions to help patients protect themselves against COVID-19 transmission. We are also collaborating with UNICEF and the World Food Programme on a similar project to help protect an additional 4,000 patients and their families.
We are supporting and reinforcing infection prevention and control measures, staff training, and other preventive measures in our existing projects. Our staff are adapting the way we care for people who are the most at risk of developing severe forms of COVID-19, if infected, such as malnourished children and people living with HIV and tuberculosis.
We are also scaling up our engagement with the communities to explain what COVID-19 is and work together to promote and adapt prevention measures to the realities of daily life.
We are building more handwashing points in the facilities where we work and helping local authorities set up additional ones in towns.