National Society Preparedness: COVID-19 Success Stories

This document is originally posted on the IFRC official website on March 17,2022 here.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has demonstrated amazing resilience and adaptability as an organization and a network during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the beginning of the outbreak, Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies have quickly adapted their way of working, building on local solutions, leveraging their auxiliary role, and striving to meet the growing health needs and demands of local communities facing social and economic consequences of the pandemic. In many cases, such consequences have increased and compounded local vulnerabilities caused by climate-related hazards and other crises.

These experiences show that a strong preparedness for response mechanism is crucial and will continue to become even more important as we face the global consequences of climate change, the continued impacts of COVID-19 and future global health threats.

Explore case studies below from around the world that highlight how National Society preparedness has contributed to the COVID-19 response.

• Cameroon: “The Cameroon Red Cross partners with local radio stations in the fight against COVID-19”.
• Costa Rica: ”A National response plan for a global pandemic”.
• Indonesia: “Strong relationships with community and government partners are key in epidemic preparedness and response“.
• Indonesia: “Preparing a hospital for COVID-19”.
• Lebanon: “Multi-hazard scenario planning: Ensuring effective response in complex disasters and crises”.
• Sierra Leone: “From Ebola to COVID-19: Coordination with local authorities for effective response”.
• Somaliland: “Community-Based surveillance for COVID-19”.
• South-Eastern Europe: “Enhancing emergency operations coordination“.
• Spain: “Ensuring the safety of volunteers: Preparedness for procurement of effective equipment”
• Trinidad and Tobago: “Volunteers on the front line of the response”
• Vanuatu: “Disaster response: as local as possible – as international as necessary”.

PREPARACIÓN PARA LAS SOCIEDADES NACIONALES APORTES A LA RESPUESTA ANTE EL COVID-19 (Spanish Version available here)