The European Union launched today a comprehensive EUR 3 million Central Asia COVID-19 Crisis Response (CACCR) solidarity package, addressing the needs of Central Asian countries. Implemented by the World Health Organization the CACCR programme will provide support to mitigate the current outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also contribute towards longer-term resilience of the national health systems of the Central Asian countries by increasing their capacities to respond to similar public health threats, should they occur in the future.

“The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how vulnerable our national health systems are and how vital it is to rethink the way we handle public health emergencies. This is why, in addition to providing essential medical supplies and equipment needed today, the CACCR programme  will also help laboratories and hospitals to be better prepared to face similar pandemics tomorrow,” - said Sven-Olov Carlsson, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The CACCR Programme is designed around three consecutive phases. First, it will address immediate needs in the framework of existing national COVID-19 preparedness and response plans. Then, once the peak of the outbreak is passed, the focus will shift on the recovery and preparation for a potential second wave. Finally, looking at the long-term perspective, a number of activities will be implemented in order to build and maintain resilient, responsive and strengthened health systems.

The CACCR is a 2 years-long regional programme for Central Asia, launched in July 2020. It is a part of the EUR 124 million solidarity package, mobilised by the European Union for the Central Asia region in the context of the Team Europe global response to COVID-19.