UNHCR welcomes vaccination drive for Rohingya refugees
UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, has welcomed the vaccination campaign in Bangladesh's Rohingya refugee camps, in line with national authorities' broader public health efforts.
In a statement today, UNHCR said equitable inclusion of Rohingyas in the allocation of vaccines is critical to curbing the spread of the ongoing pandemic.
"The Rohingya refugees and host community volunteers have an essential frontline role in containing the spread of Covid-19 in the camps. The first step in fully protecting communities, however, is through the rollout of vaccination," said Johannes Van Der Klaauw, UNHCR's Representative in Bangladesh, adding "We are grateful to the government of Bangladesh for having included Rohingya refugees in the vaccination campaign."
Over 4,000 Rohingyas received their first Covid-19 vaccine in Cox's Bazar as part of a national vaccination drive to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
Rohingya refugees eligible for vaccination in the first cohort include some 48,000 individuals over 55 years of age. The drive will continue until 17 August.
The vaccination drive is being led by Bangladesh authorities, with technical support from the UN Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization, and other humanitarian partners.
The fight against the pandemic has been led by thousands of refugees and host community volunteers, who have worked since 2020 on informing refugees about health and hygiene, monitoring any signs of illness, and connecting the refugee community with critical health services. While the threat of Covid-19 remains critical, their efforts have helped to prevent and curb outbreaks and have saved lives, UNHCR said.
The vaccinations follow the devastating monsoon rains that hit Cox's Bazar district over the past weeks, causing flash floods and landslides that killed eight Rohingyas and 15 Bangladeshis in the host communities.
Almost 25,000 refugees were displaced due to landslides, flooding, wind, and storms. Thousands of facilities have been damaged, including primary health clinics, distribution points, and latrines. Access was hindered due to damaged roads, pathways, and bridges.
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