A refugee has his temperature taken before collecting his UNHCR and WFP food and aid package at Dadaab camp in Kenya

A refugee has his temperature taken before collecting his UNHCR and WFP food and aid package at Dadaab camp in Kenya. © UNHCR/Mohamed Jimale

How UNHCR is helping the forcibly displaced during a historic public health emergency

It is the single greatest global public health crisis in more than 100 years. There is no aspect of our daily lives that has not been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The virus does not discriminate. 

Key priorities in COVID-19 response Providing support for large populations of refugees, IDPs, stateless persons and other people of concern Ensuring health and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services are in place and adaptable Putting measures in place to prevent infections, such as increasing distribution of WASH and shelter materials Offering guidance and fact-based information on prevention measures like handwashing, physical distancing, and where to access health care services Providing cash-based assistance as a quick and efficient means of empowering families to make the best decisions on how to care for themselves. Cash will be particularly useful in helping people make essential purchases such as food, rent payments or other basic needs in case of lockdown. Everyone is at potential risk of contracting COVID-19. But refugees and other forcibly displaced individuals are among the most vulnerable. They often live in  overcrowded settings where the ability to physically distance from others as a protective measure is simply not possible. Access to soap, hygiene and sanitation facilities may be extremely limited. They may be hosted by densely populated areas which make physical distancing a challenge, or live in communities with weak or inadequate health systems. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has also created a fresh set of challenges for humanitarian organizations like UNHCR working urgently to support the forcibly displaced.

Resettlement departures of some 10,000 refugees were delayed for months. Restrictions on movement and limited access to refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced people (IDPs) and stateless persons around the world remain in place. Conflicts, war, persecution, extreme weather events and other factors that severely impact the lives of children, women and men daily have not stopped. 

As the deadly virus continues to spread, UNHCR’s ongoing efforts to keep displaced communities safe and healthy continues as we seek to protecting those most in need of assistance.

What UNHCR is doing Colombia UNHCR has donated 383 Refugee Housing Units (RHUs) and 119 tents to hospitals, clinics, UNHCR-supported shelters, and local health authorities, and sheltered hundreds of people with special protection needs. More than 30 phone lines have been installed to provide information to Venezuelan refugees and migrants on their rights, protection and information about route safety. Mexico UNHCR has delivered thousands of pieces of personal protective equipment including face shields, masks and gloves. UNHCR is also providing information and equipment for shelters to establish isolation areas in case needed, and has identified refugee doctors, nurses, paramedics and other health professionals who could be mobilized.

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Faces of the pandemic 

Liesse Ombeni, 28, is a mother of five little children. She fled to Uganda with her husband in 2015 from South Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Liesse Ombeni, 28, is a mother of five little children. She fled to Uganda with her husband in 2015 from South Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. © UNHCR/Alassane Guindo

Liesse is a married mother of five who fled from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Uganda in 2015.She was trained in tailoring at a UNHCR-funded community centre in Kampala. After completing a six-month course, she rented a small tailoring shop near her home — and the business thrived. But then the COVID-19 pandemic reached Uganda, and the government enforced a countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of the virus. No public gatherings mean no weddings or social events, fewer clients — and a dwindling family income. Liesse is now the sole breadwinner and  has started producing non-medical, washable masks out of African fabric Kitenge and hopes to produce 50 masks a day. 

Syrian refugee Marwan al-Zoubi poses with the LEGO robot he helped design at the Innovation Lab in Za'atari camp, Jordan

Syrian refugee Marwan al-Zoubi poses with the LEGO robot he helped design at the Innovation Lab in Za’atari camp, Jordan. © UNHCR/Yousef Alhariri

Marwan, a Syrian refugeeholds the LEGO prototype robot he helped design at the Innovation Lab in Za’atari Camp in Jordan. It automatically dispenses hand sanitizer so people don’t have to touch the bottle – reducing the spread of COVID-19.

Internally displaced Malian children receive solar-powered radios and school kits from UNHCR at Sarema school, to facilitate distance learning

Internally displaced Malian children receive solar-powered radios and school kits from UNHCR at Sarema school, to facilitate distance learning. © UNHCR/Alassane Guindo

In Mali, internally displaced children receive solar-powered radios and school kits from UNHCR to help facilitate distance learning while schools remain closed during the pandemic. The children learn by listening to programs broadcast over the radio, allowing thousands of children to access education.  

Key items delivered by COVID Bangladesh UNHCR continues to manage two COVID-19 treatment facilities serving both refugee and host communities, while also supporting an intensive care unit in the main district hospital in Cox’s Bazar. Infection prevention and control trainings have been held for 280 health staff in health facilities serving the Rohingya camps, where some 855,000 refugees are living in very dense conditions. Syria More than 467,000 people have been reached though risk communication and community engagement. Outreach activities emphasize promoting proper hygiene, distribution of soap and proper handwashing, and training has been provided to rapid response teams, health staff and community health workers.


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