Ethiopia is the land where hundreds of thousands of refugees that fled war, percussion, human rights abuses and democratic stifling have sheltered and protected.
To date, the total population of refugees peaked to 758,199, according to UNHCR data that was last updated on March 31, 2020.
These refugees are sheltered in different centers. Despite the fact that the nation has been facing several socio-economic and political challenges, it has never ceased the refugee hosting tradition that the country pioneered millennia ago.
Ethiopia promotes open door policy and refugees and facilitates conditions to humanitarian access and protection for asylum seekers which is already proven true by many international organizations.
Unlike many other countries, vital events registration is made accessible to the refugee population and it has also enacted refugee law that helps better protect their human rights and economic benefits while integrating them with the host population.
Following the outbreak of the COVID 19, the government of Ethiopia is doing its level best to protect the wellbeing of its people and the refugees that are found in different refugee camps in various locations.
The report from UNHCR indicated that although no cases of COVID-19 have been reported amongst the refugee population and their host communities, UNHCR continues to strengthen efforts to prevent and limit the potential spread of the corona virus among the nearly 760,000 refugees in the country.
According to UNHCR, with the effort of the government of Ethiopia, UNHCR is doing its level best to support those migrants residing in Ethiopia.
The UNHCR further indicated that, as a means to halt the spread of the virus, several awareness creation activities are accomplished. “Enhanced awareness raising efforts continue to target refugees and, where feasible, the nearby host communities.
UNHCR and partners continue to disseminate key prevention messages using different methodologies.
The messages are in line with WHO and the government of Ethiopia’s guidelines, including on the recently declared national state of emergency”.
As part of it is preparedness, the UNHCR has also identified isolation posts to COVID 19 suspects.
UNHCR and ARRA’s (Agency for Refugees and Returnees Affairs) advocacy efforts have been extended to partners to support in Gambela Regional Health Bureau (RHB) with in-kind donations towards the isolation and quarantine centers.
UNHCR report indicated that, so far, it has donated 500 blankets, 500 sleeping mats, 2,000 bars of laundry soap and 4,000 sanitary napkins.
In addition, UNHCR delivered essential aid items to East Wollega, West Wollega and Kamashi zones as humanitarian assistance to IDPs and returnees. The items included 5,000 jerry cans, 1,000 sleeping mats, 25,000 bars of soap and 1,000 blankets.
In Benishangul-Gumuz, UNHCR procured 10 infrared thermometers and handed them over to ARRA to facilitate temperature screening, according to UNHCR.
Following the closure of schools across the country as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the pandemic, over 200,000 refugee students are not engaged in regular activities.
With limited options for remote learning in the camps, UNHCR is working with key Government offices at the federal and regional levels, to develop alternative learning modalities for refugees while they are out of school, UNHCR report indicated.
Meanwhile, IOM has reported on its website that the unexpected arrival of more than 5,000 returnees to Ethiopia over the past two weeks, without prior health screenings has added to the challenges the country faces strengthening measures to curb COVID-19.
IOM Ethiopia Chief of Mission, Maureen Achieng, the UN has called for a temporary suspension of flights to give Ethiopian authorities time to safely organize the migrants’ repatriation.
The Ethiopian Herald April 24/2020
BY LEULSEGED WORKU
