The pandemic has demonstrated how flexible resources are essential to ensure that UNICEF can provide communities with long-term support to build resilience and also respond quickly and effectively to sudden emergencies. Programmatic follow-up and reporting were strengthened across the country office to ensure activities were implemented as planned or reprogrammed to meet COVID19 restrictions and population needs. Innovations DHIS2 surveillance for COVID-19 was a breakthrough innovation for Bangladesh. Comprising notification of positive cases by text message, follow-up phone call, and outcome tracking, the system became an example for other countries. A maternal and newborn health and routine immunization e-tracker in DHIS2 was developed and piloted. Capacity development took place to improve reporting rates, data quality, and use of data through upgraded national health data dashboards. The oxygen crisis during the pandemic’s second wave was a critical challenge for MOHFW. UNICEF supported a situation analysis of the country’s oxygen ecosystem and MOHFW endorsed the resulting National Oxygen Landscape Report. It provides deep analysis of system gaps and illustrates a strategic pathway for MOHFW to ensure an effective oxygen security system. Additionally, a liquid medical oxygen system, with oxygen lines and staff training in 30 facilities, was established to support hypoxaemic COVID-19 patients. Insufficient human resources posed challenges elsewhere in health facilities, with medical personnel still overburdened by demands of treating COVID-19. To improve service quality, 16 medical officers were recruited to mentor, monitor and orient staff on MNCAH services, IPC and COVID-19 case management. Timely distribution of UNICEF-supported oxygen equipment was hindered by port clearance processes. This was resolved through advocacy by UNICEF for DGHS and MOHFW to support budget allocation for customs duties and Value Added Tax. Lessons learned during the pandemic have paved the way to reimagine how education is delivered, including for children who struggle to access learning even in normal times. UNICEF-supported remote learning modalities ensured learning continuity for most children despite school closures. UNICEF is partnering with the Government to establish a blended education strategy to improve coverage and effectiveness of remote learning through low-tech modalities. In support, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education plans to install Wi-Fi connectivity in all 65,000 schools. UNICEF continued its efforts to diversify the ALP, adding online and blended modalities to connect out-of-school adolescents and young people with wage employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship. A pilot of the informal apprenticeship, digital skills training and entrepreneurship training modalities commenced among 3,100 out-of-school young people. Technological innovations saw the nationwide measles-rubella campaign reach 36 million children. Weekly communication by mobile phone was introduced for HIV-positive pregnant women amid COVID-19 restrictions on movement. The transformation to virtual court proceedings and enhanced coordination among Children’s Courts, detention centres, police and probation officers marked a new era for children in contact with the law. Virtual courts have been enacted in law, so children will continue to benefit from swifter trials and exemption from the courtroom, as well as the growing preference for non-custodial measures. Page 10 of 10 Page 10 of 10