| FIELD REPORT |
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| Year : 2021 | Volume
: 19
| Issue : 1 | Page : 15-20 |
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COVID-19 and Refugees in Malaysia: An NGO Response
Sharuna Verghis1, Xavier Pereira2, Anesha Gnana Kumar3, Ashley Koh3, Asha Singh-Lim3
1 Health Equity Initiatives, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Malaysia
2 Health Equity Initiatives, Taylor’s University School of Medicine; KPJ Selangor Specialist Hospital and Damai Service Hospital, Malaysia
3 Health Equity Initiatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Correspondence Address:
Sharuna Verghis
Health Equity Initiatives, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor
Malaysia
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/INTV.INTV_18_20
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COVID-19, a watershed moment in global health, has brought health inequalities into sharp focus exposing structural disadvantage and institutional discrimination experienced by disenfranchised populations. Focusing on urban refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia who are deemed of irregular status under the law, this field report outlines the legal and policy responses of the government and the impact of COVID-19 on refugees. It also highlights the organisational response of an organisation working with refugees in the greater Kuala Lumpur area. As pandemics become a reality of our times, it is imperative that pandemic preparedness and mitigation strategies adopt inclusive and universal approaches that include migrant populations such as refugees and asylum seekers.
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