iranian red crescent

CoronaVirus Situation Report

Situation Report 6

14 April 2020

Context

The number of confirmed cases in Iran is 73,303 while the death toll is 4,585 and over 45,983 have recovered so far, according to data compiled by the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education.

The IRCS is making great efforts to assist in government response accordance with the policy obtained by the health authorities.

The IRCS Response Operation

Shortly after the Coronavirus outbreak, the IRCS as a member of the MoH Coronavirus Task Force activated Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs) at the IRCS Headquarters and 32 branches throughout the country.

In coordination with the Iranian Ministry of Health and considering the importance of public education, the IRCS is still focusing on public awareness campaign for the people from different walks of life. The IRCS has continued different phases of training for public education aiming at educating people with the coronavirus and necessary preventive measures as well as the updating educational materials for the IRCS’s trainers throughout the country. Regular video conferences and virtual meetings for IRCS branches have been organized to share guidelines and materials. The IRCS, in coordination with Medical Council, provided general and specialized trainings on Corona online courses for volunteers and staff. The educational activities of IRCS include:

• Brochures, posters, info graphic (2,204 pages in Persian and other languages)
• Movie, clip, and motion graphic (697 programs have been produced particularly for different walks of life and deaf people y) Also, 11 educational documentation videos have been produced.
• Information sharing and publication of training contexts include:

Visiting social webs: 64,180,000 people

Visiting training site as www.coronavirus.ir: 18,793,000 people

• Attending Corona test “test.Corona.ir”: 10,205,500
• Sending SMS: 27,610,000

In addition, 986,795 people, 65,417 volunteers, 39,039 staff and 15,348 trainers have passed online course of coronavirus.

In coordination with MoH and NDMO, the IRCS stopped screening people on 2 April 2020. The IRCS’ Noor Afshar hospital has been allocated to coronavirus cases. Out of 874 cases, 438 are still bed ridden, 381discharged and 55 dead. 

Since the outbreak of virus in the country, the IRCS took responsibility of medical shelter for post recovery. Following is brief update about the medical shelters:

• Isfahan province with 1 medical shelter working with 52 staff and capacity of 500 beds in which 207 cases have been hospitalized, 13 patients resent to the hospitals and 150 discharged.    
• Qom province with 1 medical shelter working with 23 staff and capacity of 700 beds in which 249 cases have been hospitalized, 31 patients resent to the hospitals and 189 discharged. 
• Qazvin province with 1 medical shelter working with 37 staff and capacity of 100 beds in which 42 cases have been hospitalized, 1 patient resent to the hospitals and 29 discharged.
• Golestan province with 1 medical shelter working with capacity of 200 beds in which 68 cases have been hospitalized 6 patients resent to the hospitals and 62  discharged.
• Zanjan province – Zanjan City with 1 medical shelter working with 25 staff and capacity of 73 beds in which 12 cases have been hospitalized and 1 discharged.
• Zanjan province – Abhar City with 1 medical shelter working with 16 staff and capacity of 100 beds in which 22 cases have been hospitalized and 1 discharged.
• Tehran, Gilan and Mazandaran provinces will stay on standby to establish medical shelter.
• No death has been reported from the IRCS medical shelters.

The IRCS Volunteer Organization distributed 50,000 food parcels and 130,756 hygiene kits among the most vulnerable. Also 1,000 food parcels have been distributed among most vulnerable people in Kurdistan province by the IRCS.

1,350 volunteers of the IRCS donated blood and disinfected 92,000 streets and avenues, 41,661 public transportation buses, as well as 23,371 public places including 38 prisons, 90 night dormitories for homeless, 2,814 mosques and 20,249 other places across the country.

For the purpose, the volunteers have used 5,375,708 liters of disinfection liquids.  Furthermore, the IRCS Volunteer Organization has sent 2,996,000 SMSs and distributed 522,000 brochures and pamphlets amongst the general public to raise awareness.

 Iran Helal Textile Industries affiliated to the Iranian Red Crescent is producing protective masks to fight the coronavirus spread in the country to protect people against lung infections and communicable diseases.

The Health, Treatment and Rehabilitation Division of the IRCS is providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for its volunteers and staff. Information sharing and coordination meetings for further preparedness are held on a regular basis.

The IRCS has distributed personnel protection equipment including different types of 420,090 of 3-layer masks, 28,560 N95 Masks, 402,200 gloves, 14,794 bags, 32,728 anti-septic gel, 444 thermometers, 1,200 hospital gowns and 7,037 relief gowns for volunteers in IRCS‘s road relief bases, medical shelters, drugstores and health and rehabilitation centers thought the provinces of the country for one month consume.

The IRCS Youth Organization continues its plan to entertain and render psychological support and services for children who have to stay at home. The programs are accessible through virtual networks and also Dial- A – Story service at  no. 021 6427 to cite stories with humanitarian themes for kits and children aged 4- 12. There are also photography completions for children with themes of humanitarian activities during their stay at home to be emailed to the IRCS.

A number of 143,945 beneficiaries benefited from the Youth Organization’s campaigns and programs up to now. About 17,029 IRCS team members have provided psychosocial support services to 2,381,450 beneficiaries through 5,741 teams.

Furthermore, the IRCS is planning to meet the needs of most vulnerable people in this situation. Hence, in coordination with MoH and Medical universities, about 500,000 special patients like patients with hemophilia, patients on dialysis and chemotherapy have been screened to receive health kits including masks and antiseptic lotions at the first stage. Although, the IRCS is looking for resource to implement livelihood project such as cash distribution and distribution of food parcels among them at the next stage to alleviate their sufferings and meet their basic needs.

Outstanding needs

Please refer to the needs specified in tables as per attached.

External relations - Government/UN/NGOs/Media

Ministry of Health is responsible for the treatment operation and the IRCS is coordinating its activities based on existing needs and protocols. The IRCS is in close contact with IFRC and ICRC to receive contribution in this regard. 

The International Affairs and IHL Division of the Iranian Red Crescent is coordinating and following up the various and international activities and donations for more effective response based on the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.  Up to now, USD 200,000 from public donation, USD 1,000,000 from the Japanese government and Euro 500,000 from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have been pledged to assist the IRCS response operations. WFP has procured and sent 470,000 masks to be handed over to the IRCS and pledged to provide 200,000 more masks and 370,000 gowns. About 85 humanitarian air cargos have been received at Tehran airport including various masks, latex gloves, anti-septic gel, thermometers, hospital gowns from Chinese RC, Relief International and other NGOs.  

For more information please contact Ms. Mansooreh Bagheri Director General of International Operation of Iranian Red Crescent Society.

E-mail: int_operations@rcs.ir

Mobile: 09121396432

Website: en.rcs.ir

Fax: 0098 21 88201052

Tel: 0098 21 88201082