Draft 15/3/20

Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP)

WEST BANK AND GAZA COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE

1. Introduction/Project Description

An outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has
been spreading rapidly across the world since December 2019, from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China to
135 countries and territories. As of March 14, 2020, the outbreak has already resulted in nearly 142,649
cases and 5,393 deaths1. Over the coming months, the outbreak has the potential for greater loss of life,
significant disruptions in global supply chains, lower commodity prices, and economic losses in both
developed and developing countries. The length and severity of impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak will
depend on the projected length and location(s) of the outbreak, as well as on whether there is a
concerted, fast track response to support developing countries, where health systems are often weaker.
With proactive containment measures, the loss of life and economic impact of the outbreak could be
arrested. It is hence critical for the international community to work together on the underlying factors
that are enabling the outbreak, on supporting policy responses, and on strengthening response capacity
in developing countries – where health systems are weakest, and hence populations most vulnerable.
As of March 3 2020, Palestine has 35 confirmed cases of COVID-19, all in the West Bank, and the MOH
has activated its preparedness plan which has been developed with support from WHO. The MOH
established medical points at the ports of entry in Jericho and Rafah. Isolation facilities have been set up
to test incoming arrivals from countries with infected cases. In addition, three health care facilities
(Military Academy and Hugo Chavez Hospital in the West Bank and a field hospital in Gaza) are
designated for treatment of symptomatic cases. To support the MOH’s preparedness and response
actions, U.N. and Health Cluster partners have provided immediate support in following key areas:
capacity building in case management, infection prevention and control; essential laboratory supplies;
procurement of PPEs; development of public communication materials; and multi-sectoral risk
communication and community engagement strategy and plan. Despite efforts, more technical and
financial assistance is urgently needed to prepare for a larger outbreak with local transmissions into
different governorates and respond to surge demands of diagnosis and clinical care management of
severe and critical cases at designated MOH facilities.

The proposed emergency operation includes three components to strengthen the MOH’s capacity to
respond to the COVID-19 outbreak and potential future epidemics by enhancing the capacity to prevent
further transmission, detecting cases at early stage, and providing appropriate and timely care for those
affected by current COVID-19 outbreak. This operation will provide funding also for streamlined and
harmonized support to the MOH complementing and exploiting synergies with other partners’ support.
The activities to be funded under the Project will help to operationalize some elements that are part of
the WHO-led and National Emergency Response Plans, complementing, expanding and intensifying the
responses rapidly. They will consist of a group of interventions based on the country’s epidemiological
and institutional needs and assessed options for meeting them. Given the evolution of the epidemic and
the changing landscape, the Bank will review the procurement plans to ensure efficiency and alignment
with the National Response to the epidemic and TA and funding from other donors.

1
b WHO Covid-19 Dashboard. https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/685d0ace521648f8a5beeeee1b9125cd

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The “West Bank and Gaza COVID-19 Emergency Response” Project comprises the following components:

1. Component 1: Emergency COVID-19 Response, with the aim to slow down and limit as
much as possible the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
2. Component 2: Strengthening Overall Healthcare Services and Clinical Capacity to
Respond to COVID-19
3. Component 3: Project Implementation and Monitoring

The “West Bank and Gaza COVID-19 Emergency Response” Project is being prepared under the World
Bank’s Environment and Social Framework (ESF). As per the Environmental and Social Standard: ESS 10
Stakeholders Engagement and Information Disclosure, the implementing agencies should provide
stakeholders with timely, relevant, understandable and accessible information, and consult with them in
a culturally appropriate manner, which is free of manipulation, interference, coercion, discrimination
and intimidation.
The overall objective of this Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) is to define a program for stakeholder
engagement, including public information disclosure and consultation, throughout the entire project
cycle. The SEP outlines the ways in which the project team will communicate with stakeholders and
includes a mechanism by which people can raise concerns, provide feedback, or make complaints about
project and any activities related to the project. The involvement of the local population is essential to
the success of the project in order to ensure smooth collaboration between project staff and local
communities and to minimize and mitigate environmental and social risks related to the proposed
project activities. In the context of infectious diseases, broad, culturally appropriate, and adapted
awareness raising activities are particularly important to properly sensitize the communities to the risks
related to infectious diseases. Due to the novelty of COVID19 and the challenging health context in
Palestine, project implementation needs to ensure appropriate stakeholder engagement to (i) avoid
conflicts resulting from false rumors, (ii) vulnerable groups not accessing services, or (iii) issues resulting
from people being kept in quarantine.

b
A map showing WB&G. As of 15.3.2020, 39 cases were confirmed in West Bank and 0 cases in Gaza.

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2. Stakeholder identification and analysis
Project stakeholders are ‘people who have a role in the Project, or could be affected by the Project, or
who are interested in the Project’. Project stakeholders can be grouped into primary stakeholders who
are “…individuals, groups or local communities that may be affected by the Project, positively or
negatively, and directly or indirectly”… especially… “those who are directly affected, including those who
are disadvantaged or vulnerable” and secondary stakeholders, who are “…broader stakeholders who
may be able to influence the outcome of the Project because of their knowledge about the affected
communities or political influence over them”.

Thus, Project stakeholders are defined as individuals, groups or other entities who:
(i) are impacted or likely to be impacted directly or indirectly, positively or adversely, by the
Project (also known as ‘affected parties’); and
(ii) may have an interest in the Project (‘interested parties’). They include individuals or groups
whose interests may be affected by the Project and who have the potential to influence the
Project outcomes in any way.

Cooperation and negotiation with the stakeholders throughout the Project development often also
require the identification of persons within the groups who act as legitimate representatives of their
respective stakeholder group, i.e. the individuals who have been entrusted by their fellow group
members with advocating the groups’ interests in the process of engagement with the Project.
Community representatives may provide helpful insight into the local settings and act as main conduits
for dissemination of the Project-related information and as a primary communication/liaison link
between the Project and targeted communities and their established networks.

The legitimacy of such representatives may stem both from their official elected status and their
informal and widely supported standing within the community that allows them to act as focal points of
contact in Project’s interaction with its stakeholders. Verification of stakeholder representatives (i.e. the
process of confirming that they are legitimate and genuine advocates of the community they represent)
remains an important task in establishing contact with the community stakeholders. Legitimacy of the
community representatives can be verified by talking informally to a random sample of community
members and heeding their views on who can be representing their interests in the most effective way.

The expected project beneficiaries will be infected people, at-risk populations, medical and emergency
personnel, medical, laboratory and testing facilities, and health agencies across the West Bank and Gaza.
The population size of the West Bank and Gaza is 4.78 million (2017). For immediate response to stop
the transmission and allocate necessary resources for treatment of cases, the project specifically targets
governorates and communities that have seen local transmission, such as Bethlehem and Tulkarm in the
West Bank (404,160)2.

2.1 Methodology
In order to meet best practice approaches, the project will apply the following principles for stakeholder
engagement:

2
State of Palestine. Preliminary Results of the Population, Housing and Establishments Census, 2017. Palestinian
Central Bureau of Statistics. February; 2018. Accessed on March 12, 2020 at
http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/portals/_pcbs/PressRelease/Press_En_Preliminary_Results_Report-en-with-tables.pdf

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  Openness and life-cycle approach: public consultations for the project will be arranged during
the whole life-cycle, carried out in an open manner, free of external manipulation, interference,
coercion or intimidation;
 Informed participation and feedback: information will be provided to and widely distributed
among all stakeholders in an appropriate format; opportunities are provided for communicating
stakeholders’ feedback, for analyzing and addressing comments and concerns;
 Inclusiveness and sensitivity: stakeholder identification is undertaken to support better
communications and build effective relationships. The participation process for the projects is
inclusive. All stakeholders at all times encouraged to be involved in the consultation process.
Equal access to information is provided to all stakeholders. Sensitivity to stakeholders’ needs is
the key principle underlying the selection of engagement methods. Special attention is given to
vulnerable groups, in particular women, youth, elderly and the cultural sensitivities of diverse
ethnic groups. The operation will also strengthen the MOH national response plan and capacity
to mitigate any further outbreaks in other localities to tackle any outbreaks in other areas.

For the purposes of effective and tailored engagement, stakeholders of the proposed project can be
divided into the following core categories:
 Affected Parties – persons, groups and other entities within the Project Area of Influence (PAI)
that are directly influenced (actually or potentially) by the project and/or have been identified as
most susceptible to change associated with the project, and who need to be closely engaged in
identifying impacts and their significance, as well as in decision-making on mitigation and
management measures;
 Other Interested Parties – individuals/groups/entities that may not experience direct impacts
from the Project but who consider or perceive their interests as being affected by the project
and/or who could affect the project and the process of its implementation in some way; and
 Vulnerable Groups – persons who may be disproportionately impacted or further
disadvantaged by the project(s) as compared with any other groups due to their vulnerable
status3, and that may require special engagement efforts to ensure their equal representation in
the consultation and decision-making process associated with the project.

Engagement with all identified stakeholders will help ensure the greatest possible contribution from the
stakeholder parties toward the successful implementation of the projectand will enable the project to
draw on their pre-existing expertise, networks and agendas. It will also facilitate both the community’s
and institutional endorsement of the project by various parties. Access to the local knowledge and
experience also becomes possible through the active involvement of stakeholders.

2.2. Affected parties

Affected Parties include local communities, community members and other parties that may be subject
to direct impacts from the Project. The stakeholder analysis and identification for the health component
was done following consultations and discussions with officials in the MOH and the World Bank team
during the preparation phase. Specifically, the following individuals and groups fall within this category:

 Infected Persons and their families.

 Medical and Emergency personnel, Clinical and laboratory staff.

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Vulnerable status may stem from an individual’s or group’s race, national, ethnic or social origin, color, gender,
language, religion, political or other opinion, property, age, culture, literacy, sickness, physical or mental disability,
poverty or economic disadvantage, and dependence on unique natural resources.

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  Health Care clinics, laboratories and hospitals and health agencies across WB&G: they will
benefit from provision of medical equipment and supplies.
 The local population and local communes at risk: the project specifically targets governorates
and communities that have seen local transmission, such as Bethlehem and Tulkarm in the West
Bank. Resources for treatment of cases will be allocated to stop the transmission. Population
will be kept aware of the latest information on the COVID-19 outbreak, precautions and best
hygiene practices.
 Government officials, including MOH staff and officials, municipalities and village councils Heads,
governors, police officials, environmental protection authority.

2.3. Other interested parties

The projects’ stakeholders also include parties other than the directly affected communities, including:
 Civil society groups and NGOs working in the health sector.
 Private Sector including private health facilities and factories manufacturing hygiene and
medical supplies.
 Business owners and providers of services, goods and materials in the West Bank in Gaza that
will be involved in the project’s wider supply chain or may be considered for the role of project’s
suppliers in the future.
 Government officials, permitting and regulatory agencies at the national and local levels,
including environmental, technical, social protection and labor authorities.
 Mass media and associated interest groups, including local and national printed and
broadcasting media, digital/web-based entities, and their associations.
 WHO, other UN agencies, and development partners engaged in the health sector.

2.4. Disadvantaged / vulnerable individuals or groups

It is particularly important to understand whether project impacts may disproportionately fall on
disadvantaged or vulnerable individuals or groups, who often do not have a voice to express their
concerns or understand the impacts of a project and to ensure that awareness raising and stakeholder
engagement with disadvantaged or vulnerable individuals or groups on infectious diseases and medical
treatments in particular, be adapted to take into account such groups or individuals particular
sensitivities, concerns and cultural sensitivities and to ensure a full understanding of project activities
and benefits. The vulnerability may stem from person’s origin, gender, age, health condition, economic
deficiency and financial insecurity, disadvantaged status in the community.

Engagement with the vulnerable groups and individuals often requires the application of specific
measures and assistance aimed at the facilitation of their participation in the project-related decision
making so that their awareness of and input to the overall process are commensurate to those of the
other stakeholders. The project under component will target disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals
and groups such as elderly people, women, disabled and children and their families in the Bedouin
communities. In order to ensure disadvantaged or vulnerable needs are taken into consideration, and
that they are reached, MOH will adopt several mechanisms; such as, publishing all information about
the project in Arabic and reaching out to these groups. In addition, when designing the grievance
mechanism, the ministries will take into account the availability of needed recourse for this group to
give feedback, or send a complaint; for example, if internet option are not available to women at
villages, the ministry will assign a mobile number and contact person to address to their concerns.
Particular attention and efforts should also be given to the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups to

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ensure effective and efficient distribution of information and access of the goods and services and avoid
capturing of the rich, powerful and privileged, particularly at this time of short supply.

Within the Project, the vulnerable or disadvantaged groups may include and are not limited to the
following:

 Elderly persons and persons with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure,
heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes) who appear to develop serious illness more
often than others;
 Persons with disabilities and their care takers;
 Women-headed households or single mothers with underage children;
 Unemployed and poor communities in crowded areas (i.e. refugee camps);
 Elderly people, women and children in Bedouin communities.

Vulnerable groups within the communities affected by the project will be further confirmed and
consulted through dedicated means, as appropriate. Description of the methods of engagement that
will be undertaken by the project is provided in the following sections.

3. Stakeholder Engagement Program

3.1. Summary of stakeholder engagement done during project preparation

During preparation consultation meetings were conducted with MOH officials, the National High-Level
Emergency Response Committee that has been established to manage the COVID-19 emergency
response plan which coordinates efforts among all development partners and facilitates linkages
between the various units within MOH, and WHO.
Further stakeholder consultations will be conducted once health facilities and clinics will be
identified.

3.2. Summary of project stakeholder needs and methods, tools and techniques for stakeholder
engagement

Stakeholder Key characteristics Preferred Specific needs

group Language notification (accessibility, large print, child
needs means (e-mail, care, daytime meetings
phone, radio,
letter)
Infected Persons tested NA Phone calls, Daytime phone calls, text
Persons and positive for Covid-19 WhatsApp app messages and emails
their families who are hospitalized text messages and
or kept in isolation emails
facilities and their
families. They will
be treated, tested
and monitored.
Emergency Could include NA Official letters, Daytime training and meetings
Personnel, doctors, nurses, emails, phone

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Clinical and laboratory workers, calls and
laboratory administrators, individual
staff cleaners, etc.: this meetings (if
group will be trained needed)
to address Covid-19
such as case
detection, diagnosis,
referral and clinical
management for
mild, severe and
critical cases,
development of risk
communication
plan, information,
education and
communication
materials, clinical
guidance and
protocols,
assessments of
available medical
equipment,
commodities and
supplies at clinical
care settings,
mapping of human
resources for COVID-
19 response,
management of
medical waste.
Health Care Clinics, hospitals and NA Official letters, Daytime meetings
clinics, laboratories will emails and virtual
laboratories, benefit from meetings (if
hospitals and provision of medical needed)
health equipment and
agencies supplies.

The local The project will NA Local radios and Daytime phone calls to local
population target governorates TV stations, leaderships in Bedouin
and local and communities municipalities’ communities
communes at that have seen local Facebook pages,
risks transmission, such local leaderships
as Bethlehem and (for Bedouin
Tulkarm in the West women, children
Bank. Resources for and elderly),
treatment of cases mosques
will be allocated to
stop the
transmission.
Population will be
kept informed of the
latest information

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 on the COVID-19
outbreak,
precautions and
best hygiene
practices.

Government This could include NA Official letters; Daytime (virtual) meetings

officials MOH officials and emails, phone
PMU staff, calls, (virtual)
representatives meetings
from the National
High-Level
Emergency
Response
Committee,
municipalities and
village councils
Heads, governors,
police officials,
environmental
protection
authorities

Vulnerable This could include NA Local radios and Daytime phone calls (with local
individuals Elderly persons and TV stations, leaderships in Bedouin
and groups persons with pre- municipalities’ communities), distribution of
existing medical Facebook page, leaflets in nearby groceries,
conditions; Persons local leaderships clinics, municipalities, etc.
with disabilities and (for Bedouin
their care takers;
women, children
Women-headed
and elderly),
households or single
mothers with mosques,
underage children; information
Unemployed and leaflets
poor communities in
crowded areas (i.e.
refugee camps);
Elderly people,
women and children
in Bedouin
communities.

Civil society Local and English Official Letters, Daytime communications

groups and International NGOs Translation for emails, phone
NGOs working in the international calls and virtual
health sector and NGOs meetings if
community outreach needed
Private Sector This could include NA Official letters, Daytime communications
private health emails, phone
facilities and calls and virtual

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 factories meetings if
manufacturing necessary
hygiene and medical
supplies.
Business Business owners and NA Official letters, Daytime communications
owners and service providers will emails and phone
providers of be involved in the calls
services, project’s wider
goods and supply chain or may
materials in be considered for
the West the role of project’s
Bank in Gaza suppliers in the
future
Mass media Including local and NA Official letters,
and national printed and emails, and phone
associated broadcasting media, calls
interest digital/web-based
groups entities, and their
associations.
UN agencies NA Emails, virtual
and meetings, and
development phone calls
partners
involved in
the health
sector

3.2. Proposed strategy for information disclosure

The MOH website http://site.moh.ps/will be used to disclose project documents including the
SEP both in English and in Arabic. All future project related documents will be disclosed on this
webpage. Project updates and information will be posted on the website. Details about the
project Grievance Redress Mechanism will also be posted on the website. Below is a table
showing the proposed strategy to be adopted by the MOH for information disclosure.

Project stage List of Methods Timetable: Target stakeholders Percentage Responsibiliti

information proposed Locations/ reached es
to be dates
disclosed
The -Notification Radio twice 1- Population at Radio, TV MOH
purpose of through daily. TV all risk in the and Social
the project, Local Radio day. Leaflets governorates of Media News
Project and TV News at groceries, Bethlehem and reaches 80%
component (ex. Radio clinics and Tulkarem. of
s, project 2000, pharmacies, 2- Emergency and population
expected Palestine TV. Website.
medical staff Poster and
timeline, Mosques, Information to 3- Bedouin
leaflets, leaflets on
and type of be disclosed 2 communities

9
Preparation activities, municipality’ weeks before 4- Government bulletin
Stage information s Facebook implementatio agencies board, MOH
about page, MOH n 5- Health agencies website and
training website. 6- Contractors, municipalitie
activities - Official service s’ Facebook
and GRM letters, providers, pages reach
information emails, suppliers and another
for filing phone their workers percentage
complaints meetings of the
and with population.
providing hierarchy (if What’s app
feedback needed) text
Health & messages
safety and reach 90% of
sub- infected
manageme people and
nt plans their
families.
Phone calls
with
community
leaders
reach 80% of
remote
Bedouin
communities
in the
governorates
.

Official
Letters and
emails to
reach 100%
of medical
staff
Dates and Notification Throughout 1- Population Radio, TV MOH
venues of through the project’s at risk in the and Social
each Local Radio implementatio governorate Media News
activity, and TV News n period s of reaches 80%
type of (ex. Radio Bethlehem of
activity, Bethlehem and population
GRM 2000, Tulkarem, -Poster and
mechanism Palestine TV) population
Mosques, leaflets on
s in WB&G
community bulletin
governorate board reach
outreach
organization s. another
Implementatio s, leaflets, 2- Emergency percentage
n Stage municipalitie and medical of the
s’ Facebook staff population

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 page, MOH 3- Bedouin WhatsAPPte
website. communitie xt messages
- Official s reach 90% of
letters, 4- Health infected
emails, agencies people and
phone 5- Government their
meetings bodies families.
with including Phone calls
hierarchy governorate with leaders
and medical s, of remote
staff municipaliti Bedouin
- Phone calls es, police communities
with and other in the
Bedouin relevant governorates
Community ministries. reach 80% of
leaders, 6- Media the
phone calls 7- UN agencies community
to women, and members.
disabled and
developmen
elderly by
t partners -Official
local women
Letters and
associations
and relevant emails reach
CBOs. 100% of
medical staff,
government
and health
agencies
(including
UN agencies)
Action plan Notification Throughout 1- Population 80% of the MOH
outcomes through the project in the stakeholders
for training, broadcasted implementatio WB&G .
Supervision & provision of and written n period 2- Emergency
Monitoring medical media, press and medical
supplies -1 week after
releases and project staff
and control conferences, 3- Bedouin
completion
of disease, MOH communitie
Maintenanc website, s
e plan for
governorates 4- Health
medical
and agencies
equipment,
municipalitie 5- Government
long-term
s social bodies
expected
outcomes, media pages including
final governorate
handover, s,
GRM municipaliti
system es, police
and other
relevant
ministries.

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 6- Media
7- UN agencies
and
developmen
t partners

3.3. Proposed strategy for consultation

The project intends to utilize various methods for consultations that will be used as part of its
continuous interaction with the stakeholders. The format of every consultation activity should meet
general requirements on accessibility. The table below provides various methods for consultations with
the stakeholders.

Project stage Topic of consultation Method used Timetable: Target Responsibilities

Location and stakeholders
dates
Introduction of the Correspondences MOH offices, Health MOH
project and (Phone, Emails, health Personnel
information about official letters) agencies,
time and venue of clinics, Contractors,
training, , Health & laboratories service
Preparation safety and sub- providers,
Stage management plans suppliers and
GRM tools for filing their workers
complaints and
providing feedback
Important highlights Emails, official MOH offices. Government MOH
of Project, letters and virtual agencies,
announcements of meetings (if governorates,
planned activities, needed) with municipalities,
associated risks and relevant media, private
mitigation measures. organizations sector

1- Project - Formal MOH offices General MOH

status meetings population,
2- Project - Press releases including
progress in - Press Vulnerable
containing conferences households
and treating - Communication Government
the infection materials agencies,
3- Risks and - Reports governorates,
mitigation (including municipalities,
Implementation measures media, private
number of
Stage Communication sector
public
campaign: written grievances
information will be received within
disclosed including the reporting
brochures, flyers, period (e.g.
posters, etc. Website monthly,

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 to be updated quarterly, or
regularly annually) and
number of
those resolved
within the
prescribed
timeline

Information about - MOH Website MOH website All MOH

Project development stakeholders
updates, health and
safety, employment
and procurement,
environmental and
social aspects,
Project-related
materials.
Supervision & Project’s outcomes, - Formal MOH offices General MOH
Monitoring overall progress and meetings population,
Governorate
major achievements. - Press releases Vulnerable
Offices
- Press households,
conferences Municipalities’ medical staff
- Public halls Government
meetings agencies,
- Reports governorates,
(including municipalities,
Number of media, private
public sector
grievances Contractors,
received within service
the reporting providers,
period and suppliers and
number of their workers
those resolved
within the
prescribed
timeline

3.4. Future of the project

Stakeholders will be kept informed as the project develops, including reporting on project environmental and
social performance and implementation of the stakeholder engagement plan and grievance mechanism.

4. Resources and Responsibilities for implementing stakeholder engagement activities

4.1. Resources

The PMU at the MOH will be in charge of the stakeholder engagement activities. The budget for the SEP
is estimated to be around US$15,000 included in the costing table under the operational expenses of
the project.

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 4.2. Management functions and responsibilities

The MOH will be the implementing agency and the existing Project Management Unit would be in
charge of the fiduciary aspects of this project.
1- Name of focal point at MOH:
Ms. Maria Al-Aqra
Director of International Cooperation
Telephone: 00972 9 2387275
Email: [email protected]

MOH relevant departments shall have frequent and continuous communication and follow up with the
district offices during the design and construction phase. The stakeholder engagement activities will be
documented through timely reports which shall also be included in the annual and semiannual reporting
to the WB.
5. Grievance Mechanism

The main objective of a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) is to assist to resolve complaints and
grievances in a timely, effective and efficient manner that satisfies all parties involved. Specifically, it
provides a transparent and credible process for fair, effective and lasting outcomes. It also builds trust
and cooperation as an integral component of broader community consultation that facilitates corrective
actions. Specifically, the GRM:
 Provides affected people with avenues for making a complaint or resolving any dispute that may
arise during the course of the implementation of projects;
 Ensures that appropriate and mutually acceptable redress actions are identified and
implemented to the satisfaction of complainants; and
 Avoids the need to resort to judicial proceedings.

5.1. Description of GRM

her wot
Grievances will be handled at the project’s level by MOH PMU. The GRM will be accessible to all
project’s stakeholders, including affected people, community members, health workers, civil society,
media, and other interested parties. Stakeholders can use the GRM to submit complaints related to the
overall management and implementation of the project. The PMU will inform the stakeholders about
the system and will keep a log of the complaints at hand. Grievance feedback shall be communicated
with complainants by telephone, fax, email, or in writing. A separate mechanism will be available to the
contractor’s employees. The GRM will include the following steps:
Step 1: Submission of grievances:
Anyone from the affected communities or anyone believing they are affected by the Project can submit
a grievance:
 By completing a written grievance registration form that will be available in the PIA offices.
 Submitting the complaint electronically via the electronic grievance form that will be available at
the project’s website.
 Telephone and mobile numbers assigned for complaints at the PMU.

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Where possible it is desirable that complaints are submitted in writing by the complainant. Should the
complainant not wish to comply with this request and submit the complaint verbally, then the
complainant information and the details of the complaint should be entered in the GRM log.

Step 2: Recording of grievance and providing the initial response:

The complainant fills in the designated form in writing and signs it, or fills it electronically including all
personal information and details of the complaint. The complainant encloses all copies of documents
that may support the complaint.

The staff at PMU will ensure that the form is filled in accurately. The complainant receives a receipt or a
confirmation email of acknowledgment with a reference number to track the complaint.

The following information will be registered in the Log:

 Complaint Reference Number

 Date of receipt of complaint
 Name of complainant
 Confirmation that a complaint is acknowledged
 Brief description of Complaint
 Details of internal and external communication
 Action taken: (Including remedies / determinations / result)
 Date of finalization of complaint

The staff will inform the complainant that an investigation is underway within two business days. The
complainant shall be informed of the estimated duration for resolving the complaint, which is no later
than seven business days from the date of receipt of the complaint. Where the complaint is unlikely to
be resolved within the estimated duration, the staff must promptly contact the complainant to request
additional time and explain the delay. In any event, the complaint must be resolved no later than
fourteen days from the date of receipt of the complaint.

Step 3: Investigating the grievance:

The staff at PMU will investigate the grievance by following the steps below:
 Verify the validity of the information and documents enclosed.
 Ask the complainant to provide further information if necessary.
 Refer the complaint to the relevant department.
 The relevant department shall investigate the complaint and prepare recommendation to the
PMU of actions to be taken and of any corrective measures to avoid possible reoccurrence.
 The staff shall register the decision and actions taken in the GRM log.

Step 4: Communication of the Response:

The staff shall notify the complainant of the decision/solution/action immediately either in writing, or by
calling or sending the complainant a text message. When providing a response to the complainant, the
staff must include the following information:

 A summary of issues raised in the initial complaint;

 Reason for the decision.

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Step 5: Grievance closure or taking further steps if the grievance remains open:

A complaint is closed in the following cases:

 Where the decision/solution of complaint is accepted by the complainant.

 A Complaint that is not related to the project or any of its components.
 A Complaint that is being heard by the judiciary.
 A malicious complaint.

Step 6: Appeals process:

Where the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of his/her complaint, the staff in charge for
complaints at the PMU shall advise the complainants that if they are not satisfied with the outcome of
their complaint, they may re-address the issue to the Minister of Health. In case the complainants are
not satisfied with the internal procedures for handling complaints, the outcomes of the complaints or
for any unhandled complaints, the complainants have right to refer their complaint to the Cabinet’s Unit
for grievances.

Once all possible redress has been proposed and if the complainant is still not satisfied then they should
be advised of their right to legal recourse.

5.2. Recommended Grievance Redress Time Frame

Table 5.2 below presents the recommended time frames for addressing grievance or disputes.

Table 5.2: Proposed GRM Time Frame

Step Process Time frame
1 Receive and register grievance within 24 hours
2 Acknowledge within 24 hours
3 Assess grievance Within 24 hours
4 Assign responsibility Within 2 Days
5 Development of response within 7 Days
6 Implementation of response if agreement is reached within 7 Days
7 Close grievance within 2 Days
8 Initiate grievance review process if no agreement is reached within 7 Days
at the first instance

9 Implement review recommendation and close grievance within 14 Days

10 Grievance taken to court by complainant -

5.3. Workers’ Grievance Mechanism

MOH will require contractors to develop and implement a grievance mechanism for their workforce
prior to the start of civil works. The construction contractors will prepare their labor management
procedure before the start of civil works, which will also include detailed description of the workers
grievance mechanism.
The workers grievance mechanism will include:

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  a procedure to receive grievances such as comment/complaint form, suggestion boxes, email, a
telephone hotline;
 stipulated timeframes to respond to grievances;
 a register to record and track the timely resolution of grievances;
 an assigned staff to receive, record and track resolution of grievances.
The workers grievance mechanism will be described in staff induction trainings, which will be provided
to all project workers. Information about the existence of the grievance mechanism will be readily
available to all project workers (direct and contracted) through notice boards, the presence of
“suggestion/complaint boxes”, and other means as needed. MOH will monitor the contractors’
recording and resolution of grievances, and report these in the progress reports.

6. Monitoring and Reporting

6.1. Involvement of stakeholders in monitoring activities

The Project provides the opportunity to stakeholders, especially Project Affected Parties to monitor
certain aspects of project performance and provide feedback. GRM will allow PAPs to submit grievances
and other types of feedback. Due to the high risk of contamination, frequent and regular meetings and
interactions with the PAPs and other local stakeholders will be suspended until decided otherwise by
the health authorities.

6.2. Reporting back to stakeholder groups

The Stakeholder Engagement Plan will be periodically revised and updated as necessary in the course of
project implementation in order to ensure that the information presented herein is consistent and is the
most recent, and that the identified methods of engagement remain appropriate and effective in
relation to the project context and specific phases of the development. Any major changes to the
project related activities and to its schedule will be duly reflected in the SEP.

Monthly summaries and internal reports on public grievances, enquiries and related incidents, together
with the status of implementation of associated corrective/preventative actions will be collated by
responsible staff and referred to the senior management of the project. The monthly summaries will
provide a mechanism for assessing both the number and the nature of complaints and requests for
information, along with the Project’s ability to address those in a timely and effective manner.

Information on public engagement activities undertaken by the Project during the project’s life cycle
may be conveyed to the stakeholders in two possible ways:

 Publication of a standalone annual report on project’s interaction with the stakeholders.

 A number of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will also be monitored by the project on a
regular basis, including the following parameters:
- Frequency of public engagement activities;
- Number of public grievances received within a reporting period (e.g. monthly, quarterly, or
annually) and number of those resolved within the prescribed timeline;
- Number of press materials published/broadcasted in the local, and national media

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