The Project

Supports early diagnosis to interrupt onward transmission of COVID-19

The scope

Contact tracing represents an essential measure in the fight against the ongoing epidemic of COVID-19, in conjunction with active case tracing and testing, as well as in synergy with other public health measures, such as physical distancing.

It is considered as a fundamental, effective, and efficient method to support COVID-19 management for migrants and refugees’ populations.

The project focuses on the Greek refugee and migrant camps, aiming to map the existing contact tracing efforts, as well as to support the public authorities, by training interested parties to become contact traces.

Activities of the Project

  • Development of an online course to provide 30-hours of contact-tracing in order to train 150 people from all over Greece such as:
  1. a) Local health jurisdictions, including primary care;
  2. b) Medical/ nursing/ public health students;
  3. c) UN agencies working with vulnerable populations (e.g. refugees);
  4. d) Other civil society organizations working with vulnerable populations (e.g. LGBT?Q+; Roma);

After the completion of the training, each trainee will offer at least 50-hours of contact tracing to support the existing national network for contact tracing workers.

  • Establishment of a formal partnership between University of Athens and GOARN, a WHO network of over 250 technical institutions and networks globally that respond to acute public health events through the deployment of staff and resources to affected countries.
  • Conduction of an independent evaluation of the current state of contact tracing in Greece; provision of feedback to the Greek Ministry of Health/ National Public Health Organization.
  • Support and work with staff in the refugee and migrant camps in North Aegean, so as to enhance contact training activities, as well as to include into the trainees’ members of the local refugees and asylum seekers community.