Should Covid-19 infiltrate into the densely packed camps of the over 1 million Rohingya, it would be nothing less than a catastrophe
Amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic currently devastating countries across the world, there will always be some groups more vulnerable to its effects, and therefore require special attention.
In the case of Bangladesh, nowhere is this more pertinent than in the camps hosting the Rohingya population in Cox’s Bazar, which are simultaneously the largest and most densely populated refugee camps in the world.
To that end, it is good to see that the Rohingya population is on the minds of the government and the international organizations, and that there are initiatives in place to mitigate an adverse situation should it arise.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is leading the charge when it comes to these initiatives, which includes continued support of the 35 health care facilities already providing essential primary care services and training for community health workers and volunteers.
Additionally, there have been 35,399 door-to-door awareness visits, 402 court-yard sessions, and 18,553 peer to peer discussions, meaning that Covid-19 preventive messages have reached 113,087 people. Health facilities in the area have also been equipped with PPEs, thermal scanners, and stand-by ambulances.
While it is encouraging that measures are being put in place, what matters above all is to educate and raise awareness to prevent the coronavirus from reaching the Rohingya.
It goes without saying that, should Covid-19 infiltrate into the densely packed camps of the over 1 million Rohingya, it would be nothing less than a catastrophe.
The Rohingya have already suffered through countless atrocities, and are living in extremely dire conditions. Let us not make them suffer even more.
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