By Khalifa Hemed
Published April 6, 2020
A tool designed to help countries prepare and respond to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has been created.
Created by the Commonwealth that draws its membership from mainly former British colonies, the Coronavirus disease shows daily cases in each of the 54 member countries based on data from the World Health Organization (WHO).
COVID-19, that first emerged in China in December 2019, has so far killed 60,000 people and infected more than 1.1 million others worldwide.
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“Coronavirus has rapidly spread across the world affecting people, livelihoods and nations,” Nabeel Goheer, Assistant Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, says. “The Commonwealth, as an organisation that believes in innovation, has prepared this tracker that offers real-time and accurate insight for governments to make informed decisions on this worsening crisis.”
A Commonwealth analysis suggests access to hospital beds and ventilators is limited in many countries, which could present a major challenge if coronavirus is not contained early enough.
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Commonwealth nurses and midwives at the forefront of the global Covid-19 response “are reporting inadequate access to personal protective equipment, being asked to work in unfamiliar environments and inconsistent or absent access to testing for healthcare workers,” Kathleen McCourt, President of the Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation, says. “We are encouraging national organisations to contribute data to the Commonwealth coronavirus tracker. This data will better prepare and equip healthcare workers to tackle this global emergency.”
McCourt urges the 54 Commonwealth countries to work with health professionals to ensure healthcare workers are protected and able to care for their patients safely and appropriately.
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The tracker is said to be part of the Innovation Hub which was established in 2018 by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.
“The online hub promotes the cutting-edge ideas and innovations of the Commonwealth’s 2.4 billion people, 54 member countries and 90 accredited organisations,” a statement from the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, England, says.”A Commonwealth’s health protection policy toolkit is available on the Innovation Hub. The toolkit looks at the effects of pandemics on global security and offers solutions to strengthen health protection systems.”