UN group welcomes free access to Covid-19 vaccine for migrants
Various groups working with migrant populations have welcomed Putrajaya's efforts to achieve Covid-19 herd immunity by ensuring access to free vaccine for all residents in the country.
The United Nation’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said the inclusion of migrants and refugees in the Covid‐19 response and recovery not only promotes the effectiveness of global and national public health efforts, but also advances the wellbeing, stability, and security of all communities...
Various groups working with migrant populations have welcomed Putrajaya's efforts to achieve Covid-19 herd immunity by ensuring access to free vaccine for all residents in the country.
The United Nation’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said the inclusion of migrants and refugees in the Covid‐19 response and recovery not only promotes the effectiveness of global and national public health efforts, but also advances the wellbeing, stability, and security of all communities.
"The virus does not discriminate based on legal statuses or nationalities.
"It is thus an important public health and safety step that the government has taken to include migrants, refugees, stateless and undocumented individuals in the Covid‐19 National Immunisation Programme," said IOM Malaysia chief of mission Kendra Rinas.
"Ensuring free access for all is key to public health protections for everyone," she added.
IOM noted that migrant workers, both documented and undocumented, made up a significant percentage of the population and workforce that also need public health protection to control the Covid-19 pandemic.
It described the announcement as a recognition that migrants are also on the frontlines of this public health crisis, risking their lives in the manufacturing of personal protective equipment (PPEs) and other essential items, security, transportation, agriculture, and other critical sectors for direct and indirect responses to the pandemic.
"These individuals are often at an increased risk of infection due to overcrowded or unsafe living and working conditions.
"So, their inclusion in the National Immunisation Programme goes a long way towards ensuring the well-being and good health of everyone," said IOM, adding that it offers continuous support to reach out to migrant communities here.
Meanwhile, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) said undocumented migrants should not be left out of the exercise, on top of urging the government to cease their arrests.
"It would help if, through the vaccination process, the government can find ways to document these workers and give them reprieve until the general situation globally improves," it said.
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, the Teratai cluster linked to glove maker Top Glove's factory in Klang has emerged as Malaysia's largest cluster, as well as minor outbreaks in various other foreign worker accommodations.
Aside from migrant workers, Malaysia's international community also comprise permanent residents, as well as non-citizen spouses and adult children.
NGO Family Frontiers, an umbrella body for the Foreign Spouses Support Group, said it had initiated the conversation on granting access to Covid-19 vaccination among permanent residents and non-citizen spouses and adult children of Malaysians in early January.
"This is a positive step forward; we would like to extend our gratitude to the cabinet.
"Indeed, in line with the government’s campaign, ‘Protect Oneself, Protect All’, granting vaccine access to these target groups will provide protection to the families and the wider community," it said in a statement.
Referring to the government's statement on access priority for Malaysians, the group expressed hope that non-citizen spouses and adult children of Malaysians could also be included in the roll-out timeline along with their Malaysian spouse/parent.
"As they live together as a family, they should ideally be vaccinated together irrespective of nationality," said Family Frontiers.
The Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee at its meeting yesterday said the decision to give free vaccines to non-citizens was made after taking into account that herd immunity can only be achieved when they are given the vaccine at the same time as the Malaysian population.
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