COVID-19: UN urges to take all appropriate public health measures to protect detainees

UN Agency chief António Guterres on May 13  reportedly urged all the governments to take “all appropriate public health measures” to keep detainees safe and healthy from the coronavirus pandemic highlighting its heightened vulnerability. The heads of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), World Health Organization (WHO), UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the UN agency leading the fight against HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) reportedly said in a signed statement that they are emphasising the need to minimize the occurrence of the disease and guarantee adequate preventive measures taken to curb large number of outbreaks of COVID-19. 

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Up to date coordination system

UNODC’s Ghada Fathi Waly; WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus; Winnie Byanyima of UNAIDS; and High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, urged the need to set up an up to date coordination system that brings together health and justice sectors, keeps prison staff well-informed and guarantees that all human rights in these settings are respected. The UN urged not to overcrowd detention centres and maintain hygiene. It reportedly pushed to release the non-violent detainees and those at high risk. 

The head of UN migration agency, IOM reportedly said on May 7 that thousands of migrants have been stranded all over the world where they face a high risk of coronavirus infection. The director-general of IOM, António Vitorino reportedly warned that in the future even more health-related travel restrictions might discriminate disproportionately against the migrant workers. He added that a lot of countries in the world have proper thermal screening checks to identify the health of migrant workers and said that he believes that there will be increased demands in health control for regular migrants. 

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Vitorino reportedly added that travel restrictions have been put into effect to curb the spread of coronavirus. He also said that this pandemic had left people helpless than ever and unable to work to support themselves. He reportedly said there are thousands of stranded migrants all over the world because of the sealing of the borders and travel restrictions that have been put in place. 

He added that they are stuck in large groups near the border areas in very difficult conditions without access to minimal care. He reportedly said that they have requested the governments to allow the humanitarian workers and the health workers to have access to the migrants and help them. 

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Image Credit: UNAIDS/Twitter