Staying fit despite Covid: 40 DEG customers already given health advice

DEG is actively committed to helping its customers in developing countries meet current challenges during the global coronavirus pandemic, including in healthcare management. It has therefore established a Covid-19 health advisory unit as part of its Business Support Services (BSS). To this end, DEG is collaborating with the internationally experienced consultancy firms management4health (m4h) and GOPA Health and Social Development, whose teams include doctors, epidemiologists and other experts.

Focus on protecting employees

DEG’s Covid-19 health advisory unit enables private companies, healthcare facilities and funds to develop preventive measures and occupational health and safety strategies, increase awareness and adequately protect their employees against the pandemic. Forty companies have already been given advice since the new offer was launched in spring 2020.

Services include the development of standard working procedures, individual patient management in healthcare facilities and the inclusion of pandemic preparedness and response in portfolio risk management. Financial institutions and funds are trained in how to successfully implement and manage investments despite Covid-19.

For DEG customers on the ground, this direct help is extremely useful. “The support we received from m4h was invaluable,” reports a company that operates a clinic in Zimbabwe and has re-equipped it to treat Covid-19 patients. “The consultants helped us to select capital items such as PCR test equipment and respirators and to develop health and safety measures to increase employee confidence.”

Other examples of the support provided by the health advisory unit include dealing with infected employees in a supermarket environment in Kenya and helping a company establish its own health centre in Nicaragua.

Increasing developmental impact with BSS

DEG’s Business Support Services help enterprises to further improve their performance and growth and the developmental impact of their projects . Corporate governance, further training of employees and suppliers, risk management, environmental and social management, and resource and energy efficiency are focal points of BSS. DEG is able to bear part of the costs.

Further information

Overview of DEG’s activities in the context of Covid: information for customers and business partners