Coordinate with partners and invest to rapidly produce, deploy and restock PPE, including masks, gloves, goggles, gowns, hand sanitiser, soap and water, and cleaning supplies.

Ensure community health workers are included in PPE projections.

Work with governments to pay CHWs for supplemental hours.

Standardise and endorse a staffing and readiness protocol for CHWs responding to COVID-19.

Engage with governments to quantify training needs and invest to rapidly train existing CHWs to prevent, detect and respond.

Estimate need for RDTs as a basis for near-simultaneous investment to produce sufficient RDTs and supplies (including reagents and swabs) and deploy them in the countries on the brink of their own epidemic.

Continue to invest in ongoing training for community health teams.

Work with governments to ensure CHWs are designated as part of the essential workforce.

Invest in the national supply chain to quantify demand and coordinate distribution of essential commodities and surge supplies (eg, oxygen, fuel ventilators and outdoor fever tents).

Invest in quantification of the need for expanded or backup coverage and undertake necessary CHW and CHW supervisor recruitment.

Support immediate cash injections at the household level and the creation of neighbourhood plans to protect the most vulnerable.

Work with governments and funding partners to ensure that budgets for CHWs incorporate holistic support.

Issue a call for multilaterals, regional development banks and national governments to establish economic recovery initiatives.

Invest in surveillance of emerging disease hotspots, typically in LMICs.