Covid-19: Why India should vaccinate refugees and undocumented immigrants as well
For humanitarian reasons and to keep the rest of the population safe, the country cannot afford to leave out anyone from its immunisation drive. Representational image. | Manjunath Kiran/AFP
Riyaz , a Rohingya refugee who lives in a crowded camp in Delhi along with nearly 300 others, is desperate to get himself vaccinated against Covid-19. But India’s
ongoing vaccination drive is only open to its
own citizens or those with any of the
All that Riyaz and the others in the camp have are the refugee cards issued by the
Riyaz , a Rohingya refugee who lives in a crowded camp in Delhi along with nearly 300 others, is desperate to get himself vaccinated against COVID-19. But India s ongoing vaccination drive is only open to its own citizens or those with any of the 11 identity documents specified by the government. All that Riyaz and the others in the camp have are the refugee cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). A few of us tried to get vaccinated but we were asked for Aadhaar cards, he told IndiaSpend. The lack of an Aadhaar card also means that refugees cannot get themselves tested for COVID-19.
Why India Needs To Vaccinate Undocumented Immigrants, Refugees indiaspend.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from indiaspend.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.