Covid-19, Oxfam on the front line to face the emergency in Italy

In this terrible world health emergency, in the trenches there is, as has already been said several times, the whole health personnel, which counts many victims for covid-19 and to which the Pope’s thoughts have repeatedly gone. The humanitarian organization Oxfam Italia addresses the doctors, nurses and operators in general. In recent days, it has launched a fundraiser to support hospitals and healthcare personnel, but also to help “families in difficulty, home-forced children and the most fragile communities who risk not being adequately informed about the official provisions of the contract against the virus crown ”.

In a moment of serious criticality, common objectives must be pursued

“Never as in this moment – he says Roberto Barbieri, general manager of Oxfam – we feel the need for responsible behavior by everyone, we feel how fundamental it is to have public health services with universal coverage, we believe this is truly the moment when public institutions and civil society, such as Oxfam, collaborate towards common goals “.

Oxfam alongside hospitals and healthcare personnel

Hence the choice to make available part of the funds raised by the Tuscan healthcare, in particular of the structures with which Oxfam is in contact, such as the Careggi hospital in Florence. The linguistic mediation service will be strengthened with the local health authority south east of Tuscany. “It is important – explains Barbieri – that the segment of the migrant population, which is part of our community, is also united in respect for prevention behaviors”. So with the ASL south east Tuscany, and therefore the provinces of Arezzo, Siena and Grosseto, we will work with behavioral vademecums in multiple languages, in addition to the help of remote cultural linguistic mediators present in hospital facilities.

Activated services for schools, families and foreign communities

Oxfam also intervenes to help teachers “with distance teaching methodologies”, to support families in difficulty, with psychological support activities “because families at this moment – adds Barbieri – are experiencing a completely alienating situation, they can be heightened difficulties in forced coexistence at home, and therefore there is a need for presence, from this point of view our remote services are enhanced and transformed: what was done in presence in Community Centers, is now done remotely, in so as to make them feel less alone, let’s say, especially the most vulnerable communities “. Oxfam has also decided to strengthen work with unaccompanied foreign adults and minors, in an attempt to bring compliance with prevention measures to reception centers. “This is fundamental – concludes Barbieri – because it reduces the risk of contagion. Preventing them from becoming important contagion centers at this stage is one of the priorities and we are working on this “