COVID-19 Update: 5 Key Highlights United Nations Support to the Government of Ghana  WHO provided technical assistance to the Government of Ghana to con- duct simulation exercise in anticipation of re-opening of the Kotoka Inter- national Airport to human traffic. Distribution of confirmed cases & infection rates by Region (22nd Sept. 2020)  UNFPA, in collaboration with DOVVSU of the Ghana Police Service, provid- Prop. of Cum. ed capacity strengthening support to some selected officers of the Service new Incidence Cum New cases risk/100, to ensure the public does not suffer sexual and gender-based violence as a Region cases cases (%) 000 pop result of covid-19 restrictions. Greater  WFP commissioned a market and logistics capacity assessments to help in Accra 23584 14 10.7 466 Ashanti 10954 0 0.0 185 the compilation of a comprehensive contingency plan to help contain Western 2966 0 0.0 134 displaced neighbouring nationals who may come into Ghana as refugees Eastern 2407 6 4.6 73 from neighbouring countries. Central 1921 0 0.0 74  UNICEF hosted a virtual debate on issue of violence against children, stig- Bono East 781 0 0.0 69 ma and overall mental wellbeing in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. Volta 671 0 0.0 35 Western North 638 0 0.0 67 Northern 547 0 0.0 28 Ahafo 527 3 2.3 86 development partners, among others, to review and update the Bono 511 0 0.0 44 COVID-19 Strategic Response Plan in line with the evolving out- Upper East 295 0 0.0 23 Oti 242 0 0.0 32 break and lessons learnt so far. The strategic response plan was Upper updated incorporating new developments such as COVID-19 West 90 0 0.0 10 vaccine management and strengthening points of entry in prep- Savannah 62 0 0.0 10 North East 19 0 0.0 3 aration for the opening of borders. The document would help KIA 33 3 2.3 - guide the response operations for all the thematic areas and National 46,353 131 100.0 150 collaboration with other sectors outside health while promoting Data Source: Ghana Health Service Sitrep No. 183 mainstreaming of activities into routine health services to en- UN in Ghana Response Interventions sure sustainability and efficient use of resources. To help inform the Government and other Development Part- WHO had earlier provided support to the Upper East Regional ners, the United Nations (UN) in Ghana issues this monthly bulle- Health Directorate to activate Emergency Operations Center tin, a consolidated summary of information on activities and re- (EOC) for COVID-19 response in addition to the cross-cutting sponse support to the Government of Ghana. The activities span trainings on COVID-19 surveillance, case management and in- across nine pillars and this edition covers August, 2020. fection and prevention control at the district and municipal lev- It is worth noting that the UN Country Team (UNCT), since the els. With continuous support, the regional EOC has strength- first cases of COVID-19 were reported, continues to provide sup- ened its capacity to coordinate response activities in the region port collectively to the Government of Ghana (GoG) through its with over 20 EOC meetings held since its inception and regular expertise and resources to respond to both the Public Health production of situational reports on COVID-19 response. Having Emergency as well as the immediate socio-economic impact of regular, instead of ad hoc meetings to coordinate activi- COVID-19. ties, improves efficiency and accountability in implementing response activities. To continue to support the team to be able Country level co-ordination, planning and monitoring to stand up to the challenge, 60 rapid response team members were trained on COVID-19 Surveillance activities with enhanced To help update the COVID-19 Strategic Response Plan as the pan- skills to investigate and respond to outbreaks. In addition, demic keeps evolving, WHO supported in organising a 3-day stra- health staff were trained on Infection prevention and control, tegic meeting to bring together key stakeholders, including the and case management. WHO’s support is enabling information Presidential COVID-19 Coordinator, Dr Asamoah-Baah, the Minis- sharing and feedback, surveillance, tracking of new cases, man- ter of Health, leads of the thematic groups, policy think tanks, agement and tracing of contacts to facilitate containment of the Bulletin No. 5 UN Support to the Government of Ghana on COVID-19 P a g e 1 infecti on. in the country. The flood affected communities and people are mapped out for effective and efficient emergency planning To keep informing development partners and the public about and response. The Flood Information System, managed by the pandemic as it evolves, WHO continues to support the NADMO, provides weekly flood updates/reports which are Government to develop daily national COVID-19 situational shared with all relevant stakeholders. reports. These daily situational reports are shared with part- ners, stakeholders and the general public. Consistent and timely provision of accurate information about the pandemic Gender-sensitive risk communication and community in abnormal times such as these is critical and has enhanced engagement the public's understanding of the virus and how to cope. This has helped increase public confidence in the Government to Making sure no one is left behind is at the core of UN opera- help restore things back to normalcy. This, among others, have tions and as the pandemic continues, deliberate programmes allowed for smooth implementation of the phased reopening are designed and targeted at the marginalized in society to of the economy. ensure no one is left behind. To help provide accurate information and highlight areas for UNAIDS commissioned a baseline assessment to help collect action to mitigate and prevent negative impact of COVID-19 key information to help understand the cultural context, the on food and nutrition, UNICEF and WFP supported the Gov- challenges and reasons for the high increase in the spread of ernment of Ghana, through the Ministry of Food and Agricul- COVID-19 in the Ashanti region. The assessment found that, ture (MoFA) and Ghana Health Service (GHS), to monitor the there is fear, misinformation and stigmatization in communi- impact of COVID-19 on food and nutrition through analysis of ties. The assessment also observed that there is the need to routine data and production of monthly joint bulletins. The adopt a bottom-up participatory approach in building the ca- first joint bulletin “Food and Nutrition Bulletin on the Impact pacity of traditional authorities and opinion leaders to effec- of COVID-19 on Food and Nutrition” was released during this tively contain and control the spread of COVID-19. Communi- reporting period. This support is helping Government to iden- cation campaigns involving local radio and information centers tify vulnerable groups (food insecurity and malnourished) for would be effective in informing the public about COVID-19 proper targeting. safety protocols. The assessment is to help with the design To ensure no one is left behind in tele-learning as schools are and targeting with communication messages to help protect closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF supported the the health and save the lives of the people in the communities. Ghana Education Service (GES) to expand the content and cov- UNFPA Ghana, together with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), erage of the radio learning programme to include the range sensitized young people in Aplaku in the Greater Accra Region from core subjects for Kindergarten (KG) level to Junior High on sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Health work- School (JHS) learners. Through the support provided, forty (40) ers from GHS led the sessions and took participants through scriptwriters have completed about 350 different scripts, the importance of abstinence and the need to avoid risky sex- which are currently being reviewed while selected teachers ual behavious. A total of 110 young people were also trained who were identified through the scripts writing have been on how to utilise the Wawa Aba App, a web-based platform equipped to engage and interact effectively with learners that directs users to the nearest health facilities to access through the radio programmes. health care, especially reproductive health care, and infor- Amidst the pandemic, Ghana and its neighbouring countries mation in times like these. are planning to go to the polls to elect their leaders in parlia- mentary and presidential elections. To help put in place a com- prehensive contingency plan to help contain displaced neigh- bouring nationals who may come into Ghana as refugees, WFP commissioned a market and logistics capacity assessments. The assessment is still ongoing and would collect information from the southern, middle and northern belt to help inform the contingency plan. Furthermore, Ghana faces a second threat of natural disaster with the arrival of rains that have flooded several communities claiming lives, destroying property and livelihoods. WFP sup- ported the Government of Ghana, through the National Disas- ter Management Organization (NADMO), to establish Flood A young participant at the UNFPA outreach in New Aplaku utilizing the digital Information System to monitor near real-time impact of flood platform, an effective alternative for information on sexual and reproductive health during COVID-19 era Bulletin No. 5 UN Support to the Government of Ghana on COVID-19 P a g e 2 To ens ure the public does not suffer Sexual and Gender-Based young children in Ghana through community mobilization, Violence (SGBV) as a result of covid-19 restrictions, UNFPA skilled nutrition counselling support, and advocacy actions to Ghana in collaboration with the Domestic Violence and Victims galvanize momentum to improve breastfeeding and comple- Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service provided capacity mentary feeding in Ghana. Businesses, media and policy mak- strengthening support to some selected officers of the Service. ers would further be engaged to ensure relevant policies are A total of 27 Helpline Operators including Sexual and Gender- established while prohibiting aggressive marketing of breast- Based Violence Response Officers and Managers were trained milk substitutes. to understand the concept and practice of crisis intervention UNICEF hosted a virtual debate on issue of violence against via the SGBV helplines, especially during the pandemic. The children, stigma and overall mental wellbeing in the context of helpline was reactivated during the lockdown with assistance COVID-19 pandemic. The programme was featured by Her from UNFPA. Excellency, Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana and chaired To ensure Ashanti regional DOVVSU of the Ghana Police Ser- by sports journalist Gary al-Smith. The debate included four vice is well informed and provide quality service to the public, young people from Accra and Tamale who shared their experi- UNFPA Ghana supported with training of officers of the Unit ences and concerns in relation to stigma and discrimination on data management in Kumasi. A total of 35 officers from the and violence against children in the context of COVID. The Unit were trained with the aim of equipping them with the debate which was filmed will be published on UNICEF social appropriate knowledge and skills in the collection and record- channels in September to help make the discussion/ ing of data on sexual and gender-based violence onto the information available to those who could not participate. The DOVVSU Online Data Management Tool (DODMAS). initiative is to help increase engagement with youth inter- acting with influential stakeholders on priority areas of vio- UNFPA Ghana has also supported the training of fifty (50) in- lence against children in the context of COVID-19. vestigators of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service on SGBV case manage- The UN in Ghana, led by UNDP and UNHCR, partnered with ment. Participants were taken through various topics related the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to pro- to SGBV such as Statement Taking, Disclosure, and Crime Sce- duce an animation video on hygiene and infection prevention ne Management among others. The initiative is to help en- and control, targeting vulnerable groups including people with hance the knowledge and skills of investigators to help bring disability (PWD) and refugees. The animation was produced in to zero, all forms of sexual and gender-based violence and six languages: English, French, Ga, Ewe, Dagbani and Twi. This has so far been disseminated to the public via social media, and will also be aired on TV and radio stations across the coun- try. This seeks to support Government’s efforts to disseminate accurate information on COVID-19 preventive protocols to vulnerable groups to leave no one behind. Surveillance, rapid response teams and case investiga- tion UNDP commissioned COVID-19 anti-stigma campaign to help address stigma against those who have and/or close to those COP Isaac Ken Yeboah and Dr Agnes Ntibanyurwa, UNFPA Deputy Country Rep- who have suffered the disease. The campaign has started on resentative in a group photograph with the trainees at the training of DOVVSU investigators social media to help sensitize the public on the need to show people who have recovered from COVID-19 love and not rejec- tion and to help stop or limit COVID-19 stigmatization. harmful practices that have increased since the start of the pandemic. Short videos on the capacity building support are Surveillance is key to containing the virus and the various UN available online at https://ghana.unfpa.org/en/video/unfpa-ghana-and agencies continue to support Government to build a robust -partners-organize-training-sgbv-helpline-operators surveillance system to appropriately respond and contain the In ensuring optimal breastfeeding and care practices are not virus. compromised in times of COVID-19, UNICEF supported the WHO during the reporting period provided technical support Government of Ghana to launch a year-long campaign to ad- to the Disease Surveillance Department of the Ghana Health dress the poor infant and young child feeding practices, which Service to train staff of Kumasi Center for Collaborative Re- is threatened by the pandemic. The campaign seeks to im- search (KCCR) and Kumasi Public Health Laboratory on the prove exclusive breastfeeding and promote good nutrition for laboratory interface of SORMAS (receiving and entering data) Bulletin No. 5 UN Support to the Government of Ghana on COVID-19 P a g e 3 and th e barcode system for submission of COVID-19 laborato- prevent the spread of infection in the community and among ry test samples. A total of 11 laboratory staff were trained on health care workers the laboratory component of the electronic surveillance data Understanding the level of adherence to safety protocols such collection and management platform, SORMAS. The tool has as wearing of face mask could help strategies aimed at con- since provided instant electronic platform for sharing of COVID taining the spread of the virus in the Greater Accra region -19 Laboratory tests results to the district levels for prompt enrolment of positive cases into care as well as discharge of negative cases from isolation. WHO, with funding from the Government of Norway, also sup- ported the Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate to un- dertake activities to strengthen contact tracing and COVID-19 data management in all 33 districts of the Greater Accra re- gion. Through the initiative, a total of 2,655 new COVID-19 cases were enrolled into care over a period of one month and their contacts traced in Greater Accra while over 18,000 sam- ples were collected for laboratory testing across the region. The level of data entry of cases entered into SORMAS im- proved by 88% with 6004 cases being entered. It also led to an increase in record keeping of new cases by 36%. The improve- ment in contact tracing and data management enhanced the ability of the region to track cases, list and follow up of con- WHO team discussing observations of the simulation exercise with colleagues from GHS, Port health and Laboratory tacts for prompt testing and subsequent enrolment into care. This is relevant to enhance containment and limit infection which is the epi-centre of the pandemic. In light of that, WHO transmission provided technical support to the Disease Surveillance Depart- ment of the GHS to conduct a survey on face mask wearing in The Regional Health Directorate of Ashanti region was also various locations in Accra. Sadly, of the 53,750 persons ob- supported by WHO to provide cross-cutting training on COVID- served in the survey only 32.85% were wearing face mask cor- 19 surveillance, case management and infection and preven- rectly, 16.64% were not wearing the face mask correctly and tion control for rapid response team members from various 50.52% were not wearing face mask at all. Findings from the institutions in 43 Municipal/District Health Directorates in the survey would help inform risk communication strategies and region. Through that, a total of 397 Doctors, Metropolitan/ activities to improve adherence to safety protocols. Municipal/District Directors of Health Services, Pharmacists, Physician Assistants, Laboratory Scientists, Nurses and Mid- WHO within this reporting period also participated and provid- wives, Disease Control Officers, Environmental Health Officers, ed technical support in a simulation exercise in anticipation of Health Promotion Officers and Nutrition Officers were trained. re-opening of the Kotoka International Airport. Over 200 par- Skills and knowledge gained by the health staff would equip ticipants were used as arriving travellers to evaluate the func- them to apply standards for timely response to COVID-19 out- tional capacity of the COVID-19 systems put in place for pro- breaks, surveillance, and infection prevention and control to cessing arriving passengers. The exercise provided the oppor- tunity to identify gaps in the COVID-19 protocol instituted at KIA for arriving passengers for corrective actions to be taken before the airport begins operation. Infection prevention and control Infection prevention and control (IPC) is critical at this time against the fight of the COVID-19 pandemic. WHO, UNOPS, UNICEF, UNDP, and UNHCR during the reporting period sup- ported Government to help contain the virus and/or prevent the spread of the virus through infection prevention and con- trol supported activities. WHO supported the training of healthcare workers across 5 Regions (Oti, Ashanti, Eastern, Upper West and Central) on IPC WHO providing technical assistance to simulation exercise at KIA measures within health facilities. A total of 750 health care Bulletin No. 5 UN Support to the Government of Ghana on COVID-19 P a g e 4 worke rs including physicians, physician assistants, nurse prac- Accra and Tema on best waste management practices and titioners, nurses, pharmacist, biomedical scientists and sup- procedures to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 infection. The port staff including drivers, administrators, accounts staff, training is expected to limit COVID-19 infection among waste health information officers, ward assistants, mortuary staff collectors and pickers. It is also expected that the participants and secretariat staff were trained. Implementation of IPC will extend the knowledge gained to their members for a wid- measures in health facilities is helping to reduce the spread of er coverage. infections from patient to patients and ultimately prevent The UNHCR continues to donate PPEs and hygiene products to health care worker from being infected. Limiting health care help support the Government’s COVID-19 infection prevention worker infection ensures that critical workforce (healthcare and response efforts. To help national health systems maintain workers) are continually available to contribute to frontline their robustness during and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic, response to the COVID-19 pandemic. UNHCR has supported health facilities in Regions and Districts UNOPS procured and donated to GHS COVID-19 test kits and hosting refugees with PPEs and hygiene products such as sur- its related accessories, including an associated RNA Extraction gical masks, sanitizers, disinfectants, thermometer guns, dis- device (for sample preparation) to help improve the diagnostic posable towels, and bedsheets among others. The latest dona- capacity of the service for COVID-19. In June this year, the first tion was to eight facilities in the Volta Region. Items worth phase of support saw the donation of 5,568 units of PCR test $320,000 dollars have been donated so far in 5 regions includ- kit, 5,504 units of RNA extraction kit, and an Autopure 32A- ing the Central, Western, Bono, and Volta Regions, as well as Nucleic Acid Purification System were provided to the GHS and now the supply of 3,000 sets of PCR kits making a combined total of 8,640 PCR Test kits and 8,512 RNA Extraction kits. This seeks to support the Government to improve its testing capa- bilities and contribute to early case detection of COVID-19 positive cases while also supporting to mitigate against the secondary impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. UNICEF continues to support enhanced hygiene monitoring and risk communication in the locations registering the most cases of COVID-19 in Ghana: Greater Obuasi, Accra and Ku- masi metropolitan areas. During the reporting period, UNICEF UNHCR handing over PPEs and hygiene products to be provided to health facili- and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources com- ties in Regions and Districts hosting refugees menced plans to expand the activities to the Central and East- selected facilities in Greater Accra where refugees are located. ern Regions, areas with the second highest number of COVID- The initiative is to enhance the ability of the beneficiary health 19 cases. This is in addition to the five Northern regions facilities to improve their adherence to the Public Health safe- (Savannah, Northern, North-East, Upper East and Upper West) ty protocols to curb the spread of COVID19. which have been identified as particularly vulnerable areas with regard to the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Case management 100 Veronica Buckets were distributed in public spaces in the five Northern regions, targeting about 10,000 people in mar- ketplaces, traditional chiefs' palaces and public transport Effective case management positively impacts on case recov- parks. ery and reduces mortalities especially those in containment centres. UNDP is supporting to sensitize the public on best waste man- agement practices amidst the pandemic and has also donated During the reporting period, WHO supported the country in personal protective equipment (PPEs) to support Waste Col- drafting, review and finalization of the COVID-19 case manage- lectors and Pickers to prevent the spread of the virus through ment manual. The finalized case management manual is now contaminated waste. The campaign is seeking to project the available to guide health workers in the management of important role of waste collectors in the COVID-19 response, COVID-19 cases. The manual is being printed with support to mobilize resources to provide PPEs for waste collectors, from WHO for distribution to health care providers. This man- sensitize the public on the safe use and disposal of face masks, ual will serve as a framework of knowledge, competencies and tissues, face shields, gloves and promote effective waste man- best practices in the effective management of COVID-19 cases agement behavioural change. and thereby reducing mortality and morbidity associated with COVID-19. It also sets out critical procedures for the preven- UNDP provided support for a Training of Trainers (ToT) session tion of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers. for about 100 leaders of waste pickers and collectors groups in WHO also provided technical support in the development of Bulletin No. 5 UN Support to the Government of Ghana on COVID-19 P a g e 5 trainin g manual and job aids by the case management team. Supportive Social Service The availability of COVID-19 training materials aligned to the COVID-19 case management manual will enable standardized Continuation of social services is crucial for the fight against training of health staff thereby ensuring certain level of quality the COVID-19 pandemic as it serves as life line for most people with respect to each training conducted. especially the vulnerable population. In view of that, the UN is ensuring all life saving social services or activities are contin- UNICEF supported the Government of Ghana to develop Food, ued with modified protocols to prevent the spread of the Nutrition and Social Welfare Guidelines for people infected COVID-19 infections. During this reporting period, UNICEF, with COVID-19 in Isolation centres. The guideline developed UNDP, UNHCR and WFP undertook activities in support to so- would ensure quality management of people infected with cial services or Government strategies. COVID-19 and improve their health and immunity to fight off the infection. UNICEF supported the Government of Ghana through the GHS to deliver Iron-folate tablets to school-aged girls through the Operational support and logistics health facility platform to ensure continuity of essential nutri- tion services. Over 300,000 girls so far have received Iron- Efficient management of supplies and logistics is key to win- folate tablets. This is aimed at preventing aneamia among ado- ning the fight against COVID-19. WHO during the reporting lescent girls. period supported the Government to forecast COVID-19 com- modities for the period of August and October 2020. Technical During the same reporting period, UNICEF and Partners, in assistance was provided to the training of 16 persons from collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, launched the MoH/GHS and three persons from USAID Global Health Supply country’s first ever child protection digital forensic laboratory. Chain Program on the use of the WHO COVID-19 Essential Sup- This lab is designed specifically to prevent and respond to plies Forecasting Tool (ESFT) version 2. Through that, COVID- online child sexual exploitation and abuse and other criminal 19 commodities gaps were identified for the next quarter. acts against child bullying, sextortion among others. The lab is They would help Government to strengthen its capacity with to help the Service deal with increasing case of online abuse hands-on experience on the use of WHO COVID-19 ESFT to during this extraordinary time when children are spending a forecast future COVID-19 commodities needs based on the lot of time on the internet. The lab would help with investiga- prevailing clinical and epidemiological situation. Having clearly tion through the acquisition, analysis, and presentation of identified COVID-19 commodities gap would serve as a source electronic evidence from digital devices and the internet in a document for partners to support in the various areas in the way that makes its reliability and integrity stand the scrutiny of fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. any judicial proceedings. This will help to boost the conviction As part of the COVID-19 response to protect front-line health rates and prosecutions involving online cases. This is to help in workers, UNFPA Ghana supported the GHS with PPEs to aug- maintaining essential support to the Government of Ghana and partners in the context of COVID-19, in areas where there is a heightened risk of insecurity and violations given the re- strictive measures of lockdown, online learning, increased so- cial distancing and so much reliance on technology. UN in Ghana, led by UNDP and the World Bank, released the findings of the COVID-19 Business Tracker Survey conducted in partnership with the Ghana Statistical Service. The results show that about 770,000 workers (25.7% of the total work- force), had their wages reduced and about 42,000 employees were laid off during the country’s COVID-19 partial lockdown. The pandemic also led to reduction in working hours for close to 700,000 workers. The findings would help inform policies to enable businesses to build back better. Dr. Patrick Aboagye, the Director-General of GHS receiving the PPEs from Mr. Niyi Ojuolape, UNFPA Resident Representative UNDP, in partnership with the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), is supporting Metropolitan, Municipal ment government efforts in providing protective equipment and Districts Assemblies (MMDAs) to prepare COVID-19 recov- for health workers. The PPEs which were handed over includ- ery plans. The initiative has started with pilot districts such as ed surgical gloves, isolation gowns, FFP2/N95 face masks, pan- Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Ketu South Municipal Assem- oramic googles, face shields, hand sanitizers, shoe covers and bly, Sefwi Wiawso Municipal Assembly, Sagnarigu District As- disposable aprons. sembly and Kassena-Nankana West District Assembly. The MMDAs are being supported to review and re-prioritize activi- Bulletin No. 5 UN Support to the Government of Ghana on COVID-19 P a g e 6 ties in their 2021 Annual Action Plans, prepare recovery plans up at the registration sites without mask. A total of 4,150 out- and enhance resilience against local and external shocks. The of-school adolescent girls have been registered so far in the initiative is also expected to generate new knowledge and les- WFP SCOPE system, pending printing of Electronic Voucher (E- sons to inform the next Medium-Term National Development Voucher) cards. Meanwhile pregnant and lactating women Policy Framework (2022–2025). (PLW) and caregivers of children 6-23 months who are already on the programme continue to receive the specialised nutri- Consensus around innovative models for mobilization of capi- tious food (SNF) and positive behaviour change communica- tal for the SDGs have been built as part of the process of de- tion. A total of 16,293 PLW and 10,808 children were provided veloping an SDGs Country Financing RoadMap (CFR) for Gha- with the SNF within the reporting period and at least 27,101 na. This is a partnership between UNDP, the SDGs Advisory pregnant women and caregivers reached with key SBCC mes- Unit at the Presidency and World Economic Forum which en- sages including the COVID-19 safety protocols. These are gaged key international and domestic public-private stake- aimed at preventing the aggravation of malnutrition (stunting) holders across the investment value chain in a round table situation in the high prevalent/burden areas while ensuring dialogue. optimum nutrition and good health. To ensure refugee children and host community students writing their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in September 2020 are adequately prepared and equipped, UN- JHS BECE candidates receiving stationary support from UNHCR staff HCR distributed learning materials such as mathematical sets, pens, rulers, erasers, and pencils to more than 212 refugee children and host community students at the various camps who will be writing their Basic Education Certificate Examina- tion (BECE) in September 2020. To help improve protection and support services for refugees while reducing their vulnerability to COVID-19, UNHCR Ghana supported in setting up direct helpline for refugees and asylum seekers to provide prompt responses to queries, referrals and, counselling services. This is expected to help reduce the risks associated with travelling by public transport and face to face meetings which increase the risk of infection. This is part of UNHCR’s drive to support the Government to leverage digital innovation to meet the needs of vulnerable populations (refugees) in the context of COVID-19. WFP Ghana continues to provide support to the Government of Ghana to implement lifesaving interventions amidst COVID- 19. The expansion of the stunting prevention to include ado- lescent girls out of school continued with registration of bene- ficiaries onto SCOPE platform. To ensure beneficiaries benefit from the lifesaving intervention without increasing their risk of infection and also protecting health staff and other users of the health facilities, a little over 4000 nose/face mask were provided to the GHS to be given to adolescent girls who show Bulletin No. 5 UN Support to the Government of Ghana on COVID-19 P a g e 7