Finland supports Iraq’s anti-coronavirus fight

Finland has committed EUR 2 million to support Iraq’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, said the foreign ministry in a press release on Tuesday.

The support is part of Finland’s development cooperation carried out in Iraq. The funds will be channelled to Iraq via the Funding Facility for Stabilization (FFS) administered by the UNDP.

The main part of Finland’s support will be directed to strengthen the operation of hospitals and healthcare centres that are responding to the pandemic.

The funding will be used to procure personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, increase the number of isolation wards for those who are ill, and strengthen the testing capacity of laboratories. Additionally, the UNDP has been supporting Iraq in preparing its post-COVID-19 recovery strategies.

Activities will focus on the most vulnerable healthcare units, including hospitals and healthcare stations in Anbar, Basra, Diyala, Dohuk, Karbala, Kirkuk, Najaf, Ninewa and Salah Al-Din.

Finland’s support to the UNDP-administered FFS in Iraq since 2015 totals EUR 11 million, including this latest contribution.

“Iraq is facing a multitude of challenges as it recovers from a long conflict. Finland wants to support the stability of Iraq and to strengthen its preparedness and response to the COVID-19 emergency. The UNDP is in the frontline supporting Iraq’s national healthcare system in tackling the outbreak,” said Finnish Ambassador to Iraq Vesa Häkkinen.