By: Rebecca Walker, Nicholas Maple & Jo Vearey
Researching Migration & Coronavirus in Southern Africa (MiCoSA)
June 2021
This occasional paper is the start of a series that explores the impacts of COVID-19 and ensuing responses on migration and the wellbeing of migrant and mobile communities in Africa. This paper provides insight into how vaccine nationalism is impacting the rollout of vaccination programs, including the inclusion or exclusion of migrant groups. The paper demonstrates that
“the vast majority of international migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and IDPs are being excluded from state-based vaccine roll-out programmes either via formal policy directives or through various forms of de facto exclusion, such as barriers to access healthcare at the local and national level. These forms of exclusion are likely to have far-reaching public health implications across the continent, affecting both citizens and migrants alike.”
Page 3, “Migrants & the COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-out in Africa: Hesitancy and Exclusion”
To view the other papers in the series, see www.mahpsa.org/micosa
About MiCoSa
The Migration and Coronavirus in Southern Africa Coordination Group (MiCoSA) is hosted by the Migration and Health Project Southern Africa (maHp) at the African Centre for Migration & Society (ACMS), Wits University, Johannesburg. MiCoSA is an informal network of migrant-led organisations, non-governmental organisations, international organisations, civil society, activists, lawyers, researchers, government officials and policy advisors. Through an online platform and virtual meetings, MiCoSA brings together national and SADC regional partners who are concerned with the health and well-being of asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants during the current Coronavirus pandemic. To date, MiCoSA has over 150 members; to join this network, please email coronavirusmigration+join@googlegroups.com
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