Inclusion of Migrants in Covid-19 Interventions – Lessons Learned from Africa
During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments struggled to respond quickly and efficiently to a changing epidemiological context. To handle crises better, key populations, such as migrants, should be involved in the prevention and intervention strategies. Research on vaccine rollouts in Ethiopia, Tunisia, and South Africa found that civil society groups were key in including migrants in the processes, as national plans lacked clarity. Moreover, governments should prioritize using technology and culturally appropriate tools to inform migrants and other vulnerable populations.
One of the key takeaways from the COVID-19 pandemic is that viruses do not conform to borders. The pandemic brought about devastating consequences for healthcare systems worldwide resulting in the loss of lives, livelihoods, and jobs, curbing the freedom of movement of people, and so much more. World leaders and healthcare professionals had to quickly think on their feet to come up with life-saving solutions and develop vaccines to prevent the spread of the virus. As countries navigate post-pandemic life, it is crucial for migration scholars and practitioners to reflect on the lessons learned. Particularly, we need to consider how to include vulnerable populations, such as migrants, in prevention and intervention strategies.
Impact of the Pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted vulnerable groups, including undocumented migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. Limited health system capacities in most Sub-Saharan countries worsened the situation. Additionally, the loss of livelihoods and employment further contributed to their precariousness. The pandemic continues to impact the lives of migrants and refugees, highlighting the need to include them in COVID-19 pandemic interventions and post-pandemic recovery strategies.
Research findings from our project highlight some key lessons learned from Africa. The study reflected on the three countries’ national strategies and efforts to include migrants and vulnerable people in their vaccination rollout programs. In particular, the pivotal role that civil society organizations played in advocating for migrants’ inclusion. The project is based on data collected through an extensive desk-based review of policy briefs, academic literature, gray literature, and media articles as well as interviews with key stakeholders.
Regional Challenges to Interventions
African countries fell behind the global north in initiating their vaccine rollout strategies, partly due to the latter hoarding vaccines. The absence of a coordinated continental strategy hindered the implementation of Covid-19 vaccine rollout plans, particularly for migrant and mobile populations. Instead, African countries had to rely on their own national policies and regulations to devise country-level strategies. Although national plans emphasized universal access to the vaccine, there was no clear indication of how migrants and refugees would be included in the process.
The national healthcare communication teams’ disorganized and incoherent messaging resulted in limited access and awareness, particularly for those without legal status. This was especially prominent in South and North Africa, where migrant populations already face language barriers. For example, in South Africa, only five of the eleven official languages were used in COVID-19 communication at the time of the study, with none of the major migrant languages represented. Similarly, in Tunisia, government communication and media campaigns used a dialect not universally understood.
Civil society organizations have played a pivotal role in advocating for the inclusion of migrants and mobile populations in national vaccine rollout strategies and socio-economic relief measures during the pandemic across all three countries. These organizations have stepped in to fill gaps where national government strategies fell short, including improving communication between communities and governments, especially when migrants were excluded from available interventions.
Future Approaches & Key Recommendations
Including migrants and mobile populations in COVID-19 prevention and intervention strategies, especially in accessing vaccines, is crucial to reducing the impact of the pandemic. Although, governments have tried to assist these groups, more effort is needed to implement inclusive policies that respond to their unique needs. To effectively reach migrant populations, governments should leverage technology to engage in culturally and linguistically appropriate social and traditional media campaigns, using accessible high and low-technology tools to increase awareness and public reach.
Governments should prioritize migrant-aware and mobility-competent interventions and approaches to ensure that – no one is left behind. This includes reinforcing legal and political frameworks at national and regional levels that accommodate the safety and health of migrants and refugees, as well as people in need. Civil society organizations should receive the necessary resources to provide information and health care services for migrants. Furthermore, systems should be in place to gather up-to-date data on migrants‘ needs to identify gaps in healthcare access.
Silindile Nanzile Mlilo is a Doctoral Researcher and Project Manager at the African Centre for Migration & Society at the University of Witwatersrand. Her work includes monitoring xenophobic discrimination across South Africa and her Ph.D. thesis explores issues of identity and belonging among second-generation migrants in Botswana.
Yossra Kallali is a Consultant & Researcher at the University of Carthage. She has been working on the development and implementation of regional policies and frameworks on migration and migrants within her role with the African Union Commission.
Project: “Leaving No One Behind” An assessment of the COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Strategy in Africa – Comparative reflections of Ethiopia, Tunisia & South Africa.
