Offaly woman says COVID-19 knows no borders

While the spread of COVID-19 hits countries across the world, there is hope the devastating ebola outbreak in DR Congo is close to being halted – and similar response work will be vital in tackling the coronavirus in the poorest of countries who lack even the most basic resources to fight it.
So says Jenny Cornally, a Tubber native now living in Clara, who is a Trócaire international staff member.
She gaves a unique personal insight into fighting a deadly virus that knows no borders.

These are difficult times for everyone. As COVID-19 spreads around the world and the virus crosses borders, there are real concerns as it rapidly spreads to countries who lack even the most basic resources to fight this crisis.
Poor countries are vulnerable at multiple levels – there may not be a functioning state to warn people how to protect themselves; many do not have the systems to detect the virus; most do not have a functioning health service to respond to a mass outbreak of illness.
Poverty also makes individuals more vulnerable. There are currently Coronavirus cases in 15 of the countries where Trócaire support people and trying to contain the spread of the virus in these countries is going to be a mammoth task for our teams in the weeks and months ahead.
In my role with Trócaire’s international division, I have worked in Central and South America, recently returning from Honduras, which is now in lockdown. It is one of seven countries where we are currently preparing immediate COVID-19 responses. We have experience combatting disease outbreaks and we can help to tackle this pandemic.
During the ebola outbreak in west Africa in 2014-15, our teams in Sierra Leone delivered vital services to affected communities, helping to save thousands of lives. Today, we continue to counter the spread of ebola in DR Congo, where over 2,200 people have died from the disease the last 18 months.
DRC had its last new case of ebola a few weeks ago. We are winning the fight against ebola and we can win this new fight against COVID-19.
A lot of what we do to counter these outbreaks is similar to what we’re now seeing in Ireland – it is about providing hygiene and encouraging a change in social norms. In DR Congo, that means helping people to understand what the virus is and how to prevent its spread. We mobilise communities to carry out hygiene promotion activities and to support families forced into quarantine.
What makes COVID-19 different to other response work is that it is not isolated to one region or country. When ebola struck West Africa, the world could mobilise in response. With the Coronavirus now spreading across Africa and south/central America – and at a time when Europe and America are struggling to contain their own crises – theses poorer countries have to rely only on their own scarce resources. Agencies such as Trócaire will respond to the Coronavirus crisis while also trying to maintain other life-saving programmes.
Honduras is under lockdown, but we have funded and supported public messaging on radio and social media on measures to prevent the spread. We are adapting our humanitarian food distribution programme to ensure improved hygiene and messages on prevention of spread of COVID-19 and we are ensuring that there is transparency and accountability in the use of assistance to respond.
The virus also presents challenges to our work in Ireland. Organisations around Ireland are trying to deal with this risk in a sensible and appropriate way. Trócaire is no different.
We have cancelled all events planned around our annual Lenten campaign. Our school talks, mass talks and exhibitions will not go ahead. This will impact our crucial fundraising, but the most important thing today is stopping the spread of this virus and protecting each other.
While face-to-face public outreach activities are cancelled, the appeal continues. People can donate at trocaire.org and can continue to fill their Trócaire boxes with the intention of returning them at some stage in the future.
We know not everyone is in a position to support this work right now, but, if you can, please consider supporting our Lent appeal. Your support means we can provide hygiene kits, testing kits and information campaigns to communities affected by COVID-19 in places like Honduras and DR Congo.
You can support Trócaire’s work and Lenten campaign at trocaire.org/donate or phone 1850 408 408.