The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has urged governments to systematically include migrants, irrespective of legal status, in their programmes and policies to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ICRC and the partners in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement recognised that the COVID-19 pandemic presents states with unprecedented challenges.
In an effort to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19, public authorities have introduced a range of extraordinary measures to protect their citizens.
“Governments in the region should do more for the migrants. It is in their best interest. It saves lives, it protects the society as a whole,” says Christine Cipolla, ICRC’s regional director for Asia and the Pacific.
“Only by including all members of a society, irrespective of legal status, can this unprecedented public health situation be addressed effectively.”
Migrants, including refugees, make up a large part of the population in several countries in Asia and the Pacific, the region with the largest south-south migratory movements, according to a media release issued from Geneva.
They play a crucial role for the economies in these countries, and for their families in the countries of origin, who depend on their remittances.
However, migrants also face a range of vulnerabilities, in particular regarding access to services, which can be further exacerbated by their exposure to COVID-19.
“As in any situation related to public health, preventive measures only have a chance of success if all members of a community and society are included in, and informed of, the measures taken,” Cipolla adds.
“It is likely less costly, both in human lives and financially, to introduce inclusive preventive measures, than to risk an increased number of COVID-19 patients.”
The ICRC also made some recommendations.
It said, specific outreach and public information strategies in a language understood by the migrants are needed to ensure their equal access to preventive measures, testing, treatment, and to remove barriers that could prevent them for seeking help owing to fear of arrest or deportation.
It recommended paying particular attention to migrants living in overcrowded and/or unhealthy environments, with the development of comprehensive contingency plans that follow public health guidance.
