Pune: The world has been hit with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and between the lockdown all over the globe leading to the financial crisis, no one is suffering more than those who have been left homeless, displaced and stateless. Without any income or any source for a livelihood, the lives of these people have taken a turn for the worse.
COVID-19 has added to the woes faced by the already troubled refugee crisis in the world, as refugee camps across the globe have been struggling with the pandemic.
According to the WHO, nearly 70 million have been forcibly displaced due to COVID-19. Around 26 million of these are refugees, 80 per cent of whom are sheltered in low and middle-income countries with weak health systems. Another 40 million internally displaced people also require assistance.
For more than 20 years, the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the World Health Organization (WHO) are working together worldwide to safeguard the health of some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.
To strengthen and advance public health services for the millions of forcibly displaced people around the world, the WHO and UNHCR on Thursday have signed a new agreement.
The agreement updates and expands an existing 1997 agreement between the two organisations.
Aim to support and protect 70 million displaced
A key aim for the pack this year will be to support ongoing efforts to protect these affected 70 million people.
The agencies have collaborated to provide health services to refugees in every region - from the onset of an emergency and through protracted situations, consistently advocating for the inclusion of refugees and stateless people in the national public health plans of host countries.
The two organisations are working side by side to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure that forcibly displaced people can access the health services they need, to keep safe from COVID-19 and other health challenges.
“UNHCR’s long-term partnership with WHO is critical to curbing the coronavirus pandemic and other emergencies – day in, day out, it is improving and saving lives of millions of people forced to flee their homes,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
“The principle of solidarity and the goal of serving vulnerable people underpin the work of both our organisations,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“Our strengthened partnership will directly benefit refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people, and those who are stateless. It leads to better emergency response and will make the best use of the resources of both our two organisations for public health solutions across all our operations globally,” Grandi added.
“We stand side by side in our commitment to protect the health of all people who have been forced to leave their homes and to ensure that they can obtain health services when and where they need them. The ongoing pandemic only highlights the vital importance of working together so we can achieve more,” Ghebreyesus further added.
UNHRC raises US$ 214 million
During the signing, UNHCR also joined the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. The fund was launched on 13 March and has so far raised $214 million till date. The fund, first-of-its-kind, allows individuals, companies, and organisations all over the world to directly contribute to the global response being led by WHO to help countries prevent, detect and respond to COVID-19.
“By joining forces with the Solidarity Response Fund, UNHCR can work together on the ground with WHO to better ensure that the preparedness, prevention and public health response measures to COVID-19 are in place and that much-needed aid can reach refugees, displaced people and their host communities,” said Grandi.