UN launches COVID-19 tri-national action plan in South America

UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations and humanitarian partners have launched a tri-national action plan to support government responses to the urgent needs in the border area between Colombia, Peru and Brazil -- home to largely indigenous people, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday.

The plan seeks $10.4 million for the next 12 months. It focuses on the initial emergency response in the sectors of health, food and nutrition, emergency shelter and water, and basic sanitation and hygiene, said OCHA.

This triple border region -- home to nearly 209,000 people, in which 57 percent of them are indigenous -- is currently witnessing the highest COVID-19 mortality rates in the world. COVID-19 is disproportionally affecting indigenous people with double of the national fatality rate, which is already one of the highest fatality rates worldwide, it noted.

The triple border area has been traditionally neglected, with very poor provision of basic services, absences of medical facilities, high food insecurity, high infant and maternal mortality rates, and outbreaks of other diseases such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya, said OCHA.