The partnership sees ADM providing a $50,000 donation through ADM Cares, the company’s social-investment programme and is part of a wider commitment to help various organisations including the WHO and other regional organisations involved in the ongoing crisis.
The financial aid to Médecins Sans Frontières will be used to fund a number of emergency responses including the support to nursing homes for the elderly, providing technical support and medical trainings and advice to healthcare sectors, and assisting other vulnerable people, such as the homeless and migrants. Here are some of the actions MSF are taking across these target areas:
- Elderly populations are among the most vulnerable to severe infection from COVID-19. MSF has extended activities to support nursing homes for the elderly. The MSF teams, comprised of doctors, nurses and hygiene experts, are supporting staff and local municipalities to set up infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.
- Healthcare establishments have been severely hit by the sudden influx of patients. MSF is supporting hospitals and keeping medical staff safe by setting up additional healthcare facilities to alleviate the pressure, providing logistical support, collaborating with health authorities to expand hospital capacity, and establishing mobile medical teams to care for people with COVID-19 who do not meet the criteria for hospital admission.
- MSF also assists vulnerable groups, such as the homeless and migrants, living in precarious conditions, people living in overcrowded conditions, on the streets, in makeshift camps or in substandard housing who are at particular risk. The team has increased emergency shelters, provided logistical support and healthcare to vulnerable people and provided trainings to staff and volunteers.
“MSF is responding to the emergency generated by the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe. We are collaborating with health authorities, and providing our advice, knowledge and years of experience in managing epidemics and health crises."
"In parallel, we continue to maintain the continuity of our projects around the world, while protecting our health workers and looking after our patients. We can do all of this thanks to support from companies like ADM. This gives us the certainty that only together can we win this battle, because together we are stronger."
"On behalf of all our teams and all our patients, I thank ADM for being at our side,” said José Michelena, Director of Communications and Fundraising at MSF Switzerland.