Refugees and migrants globally are missing out on Covid-19 vaccines due to supply shortages, exclusionary policies and anti-migrant sentiment, according to new research published by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS).
Despite many countries having legal provisions in place mandating equal healthcare for all, including Covid-19 vaccinations for refugees, last year the UN found that 40 percent of 152 host countries’ vaccination plans did not include, or were unclear about the inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers. This could leave up to 46 million displaced people struggling to get vaccinated, almost 18 months on from when the first vaccines became available.
Even when refugees and migrants are included in national vaccine roll-out plans, just three percent of global vaccines are currently available in low-income countries – where the majority of refugees are hosted. Health officials and migrants’ rights activists interviewed for the research cited the lack of vaccine stock as the main explanation for low levels of vaccination among migrants and refugees.
Countries such as Uganda, Pakistan, Lebanon and Colombia, who host some of the largest refugee populations, are being hampered from including refugees in their vaccine rollouts due to the underfunding, delays and vaccine shortages from the COVAX (Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access) scheme.
Populist policies and vaccine nationalism
The researchers argue that populist policies and vaccine nationalism from richer countries is one factor causing COVAX’s underfunding. A build-up of anti-migrant sentiment and policies, like the UK’s new policy to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda, is also pointed to as another key barrier to vaccination among refugee and migrant populations
It is identified as a cause of mistrust in state authorities, contributing to vaccine hesitancy and displaced persons failing to register with health providers, for fear of being detained or deported.
Other barriers to vaccine access among refugees and migrants cited included onerous registration systems, long distances to reach vaccination centres, misinformation, pre-existing social marginalisation, and the level of digital skills and online access needed for online appointment booking portals.
Philip Proudfoot, Research Fellow at IDS said: “We can see across multiple countries the damaging impacts that a legacy of populist policies and anti-migrant rhetoric has built up. This ‘othering’ effect is leading to underfunding and unnecessary obstructions preventing access to Covid-19 vaccines among refugee and migrant populations around the world.”
Brigitte Rohwerder, Research Officer at IDS said:“This is a massive population of marginalised people who are being forgotten about, or worse, actively excluded from receiving the protection that Covid-19 vaccinations provide.
“The Covid-19 virus does not, quite obviously, differentiate by citizenship. No one is safe anywhere until everyone is safe everywhere, and having millions of people still unvaccinated leaves the door open to new Covid outbreaks and new strains on healthcare services.”
