Bangladesh government successful in protecting Rohingyas from COVID-19

Bangladesh government has been successful in protecting the Rohingyas amid the COVID-19 pandemic despite fears of a spike in the number of affected people living in the congested and unhygienic conditions in Cox's Bazar.

According to a report by Dhaka Tribune, advance precautionary measures, strict implementation of COVID-19 protocols and assistance from different United Nations orgsations, International NGOs (INGOs) and NGOs have helped the authorities keep the situation under control, earning praise from various sectors.

According to Dhaka Tribune, some have opined that the scenario of the whole country would be better if the handling of the Rohingya camps could have been replicated outside the camps.

On Tuesday, the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ICSG), which coordinates the UN's humtarian activities, INGOs and NGOs lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led government for successfully handling the COVID-19 situation in Rohingya camps.

The government has decided to vaccinate all the refugees, said Mahbubur Rahman, Cox's Bazar civil surgeon.

"We achieved the success by working in a coordinated manner. We have coordinated with all the stakeholders so that these people are protected," he said.

He further said, "From the outset, we were very careful with considering the consequences if the virus spread in a big way. It would have been extremely difficult to control given the living conditions of the Rohingyas."

On the government's decision to vaccinate all Rohingyas, the civil surgeon said, "The decision has been taken, but no timeframe has been fixed."

( With inputs from ANI )