The recommendation is in the third edition of the UN Review of the Socioeconomic Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic in our country, to which Lusa agency had access this Wednesday.
The document stresses the need to strengthen the supply chain of health products and their distribution channels, as well as support for the rapid mobilization and training of health professionals, in addition to compliance with security measures for their protection and that of their families.
The study finds that the response to the pandemic caused by the new coronavirus is beginning to divert resources for the health system from ongoing pandemics, demonstrated by the need to use HIV and tuberculosis laboratory platforms with limited resources for covid-19 testing.
Regarding the situation of companies, the analysis recommends that the country needs to accelerate the implementation of the reform agenda to facilitate a model of growth "more private sector oriented and a more favourable business environment".
"The Government should provide support to enterprises and for the generation/maintenance of jobs, focusing on the most vulnerable (young people, women, etc.) to mitigate the economic and social consequences of measures to combat the spread of covid-19," the report says.
According to the UN, given the vulnerability of micro, small and medium enterprises and workers in the informal economy, the government should examine all opportunities to finance support (tax exemptions, reductions, subsidies, among others) to companies and workers, as well as promote adequate social protection and sustainable investments.
For the UN, the government needs to continue to promote the registration and formalisation of informal economic activities and consequently facilitate their access to covid-19 mitigation measures, credit or tax incentive schemes.
In the analysis, the UN advises to maintain measures compatible with health safety standards to ensure the continuity of economic activity, including micro, small and medium enterprises, informal markets and small farmers, to keep the food supply chain functional.
"Since three out of four people have informal employment, policy measures should clearly respond to the livelihoods of these informal workers, who are being hit hard by government restrictions and the economic crisis," the report notes.
According to the UN, there is an urgent need to address poverty from a multidimensional approach and to redress inequalities, which have increased over the last decade, including not only income inequalities, but also human and gender development inequalities.
Angola has 73 infected with the new coronavirus and four dead.
On a global level, according to an assessment by the AFP news agency, the covid-19 pandemic has already caused more than 350,000 deaths and infected more than 5.6 million people in 196 countries and territories.
