Coronavirus: What happens to those affected by humanitarian crises?

An overview of Rohingya refugees squalid camp near Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. (AP Photo/File)

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread, those affected by humanitarian crises, such as the people living in camps and camp-like settings are especially vulnerable. On March 17, guidelines developed jointly by the WHO, UNHRC, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) mentioned that this set of people may find it more difficult to access healthcare facilities that are otherwise available to the general population. These set of guidelines are meant for those people who are internally displaced, members of host communities, asylum seekers, refugees and migrants.

What do the guidelines say?

As per the guidelines, in case a COVID-19 case is confirmed at a collective site, the patient’s contacts need to be identified and monitored for a period of 14 days, even when quarantining them or isolating them is not possible. Further, special considerations need to be given to the “negative coping mechanisms”, which are linked to the scarcity of space in available accomodation and the grouping of people based on other than family relationships. For instance, children and women of several families sleeping together.

The guidelines have also urged Community-based surveillance (CBS), wherein site residents and members of the host communities take an active part in helping with the early detection of COVID-19.

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In the case of newly arrived residents to the collective site, individual health screening needs to be performed at the place of first arrival or at the borders. Significantly, the guidelines state that health screenings should not depend on checking the temperature alone, but should be comprehensive and include diagnostics and initial clinical management.

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Where are the samples of those living in such sites tested?

For every collective site and its surrounding host community, an equipped referral laboratory needs to be identified. For safe specimen collection and transportation, national protocols need to be followed.