Ensure all rights to welfare are upheld - WHO Representative

KUALA LUMPUR: All parties need to overcome the gap in society to ensure that everyone's right to health and well-being is upheld.

The head of the UN Mission and World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative to Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore, Dr Lo Ying-Ru Jacqueline, said it included detainees, refugees and undocumented migrants for health care from the COVID-19 pandemic.

She clarifies that it is the best step to solve the problem besides ensuring that all parties are treated equally when they come forward to get treatment.

“Additionally, in specific settings where it is difficult to safely and sufficiently implement or adhere to public health measures, such as worker dormitories, prisons, factories and more, health vulnerabilities and inequities are deepened and should be addressed.

"Prisons are overcrowded and effective infection control in overcrowded prison facilities is near impossible. Once COVID-19 or other infectious diseases are introduced to the prison environment, they spread quickly.

“It will be important moving forward to ensure access to proper hygiene and sanitation services for all people in prison, as well as increasing awareness among prison management and staff on effective infection control for their safety and the safety of others.

“Another consideration is expediting the early release of people whose offence falls within a certain category of crimes and ensuring effective diversion measures for alternatives to incarceration, through which we can reduce overcrowding and improve conditions, while reducing health risks,” she added during a Microsoft Teams session on Thursday in conjunction with Human Rights Day 2020.

In the meantime, Dr Jacqueline said the pandemic served as a lesson and as an aspect in promoting a vision of a more organised world in protecting health, human rights and human dignity.

She said recovery efforts include ways to influence decisions that reflect everyone's need for access to health services without stigma and discrimination.

She added that health is an inseparable aspect of human rights which includes access to drinking water, safe sanitation, nutritious food, gender equality, adequate housing, education and safe working conditions.

Most importantly it is clear for all parties to use today’s situation as an opportunity to better rebuild the health care system that is stronger, more resilient and inclusive.