Addressing COVID-19 in Honduras
5 ways USAID is responding to the pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has made life difficult for everyone around the world, but for Hondurans, its devastating effects were compounded by hurricanes Eta and Iota in November 2020.
In addition, before the pandemic, Honduras had the second-highest poverty rate in the Latin America and Caribbean region after Haiti, with about half of Hondurans living on less than $5.50 a day.
Conditions worsened with the pandemic, as the economy contracted by an estimated 9% in 2020. Women were pushed further down the economic ladder and have been more likely than men to experience unemployment. During 2021, nearly one-third of the population faced severe hunger, with 614,000 people in emergency situations just below famine level.
USAID supports the delivery and rollout of vaccines throughout the region and is also providing nearly $50 million in direct COVID-19 development assistance to Hondurans. Our work strengthens testing and prevention programs, supports economic growth, and helps organizations adapt to the new environment.
Here are five ways that USAID is working to alleviate the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic in Honduras.
1. Turning Vaccines into Vaccinations: To date, the United States has donated more than 3.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the country and will continue supporting the Honduran people on their path to recovery. The U.S. vaccine donations represent about 40% of the total vaccines administered in the country, and our assistance has helped reach half of the population with at least one dose. USAID is partnering with the Honduran Ministry of Health to deliver and administer COVID-19 vaccines as quickly as possible, including by strengthening cold chain equipment and facilitating training in all regions. Our work is also helping address vaccine hesitancy in the country by supporting the Ministry of Health respond to community concerns.
2. Preventing the spread of COVID-19: USAID provided about $41,800 worth of personal protective equipment, including cleaning supplies and masks, to government institutions and civil society organizations. The Agency also helped create community-based action plans for preventing the spread of COVID-19. We developed biosecurity guides for organizations that provide gender-based violence services, including women’s shelters in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba, and helped train their staff in the guide’s implementation.
3. Improving Testing of COVID-19: To strengthen COVID-19 prevention, detection, and response, USAID provided 12 hospitals, 32 triage centers, and three laboratories with medical supplies and equipment, amounting to $1.6 million in funding. Our contributions included 44 vital signs monitors, 282 stethoscopes, 130 hospital beds, 58 desktop computers, and nearly 11,000 gallons of hand sanitizer. USAID is also increasing the capacity of labs to correctly and efficiently process COVID-19 tests. The Agency has helped national virology labs improve testing procedures, supported the construction of three molecular biology laboratories, and provided 100,000 PCR tests and extraction kits. USAID also trained more than 240 laboratory staff in best practices.
4. Strengthening Economic Growth: To help Honduran businesses take advantage of the growth of online shopping amid the pandemic, USAID trained 100 information and communications technology advisors, who then trained 300 small and midsize enterprises in e-commerce and financial tech solutions, such as payment platforms. In 2021, USAID trained an additional 1,000 small and midsize businesses, which generated at least 1,000 new jobs and $1.5 million in additional sales.
5. Supporting Teachers and Students: USAID developed online content to promote social and emotional learning and well-being for students, teachers, and principals to cope with the stress from the pandemic while schools are closed. USAID has also supported the Ministry of Health in the development of the Safe Return to School Strategy. This protocol will benefit at least 80,000 teachers nationwide.
In addition to these activities, the Agency is training public health providers to improve the treatment of mild to severe cases of COVID-19. The pandemic continues to be one of the greatest challenges that the world has ever experienced. USAID is on the frontlines providing the solutions that will save and improve lives for Hondurans.
