Investigating the resilience of refugee camps to COVID-19: A case of Rohingya settlements in Bangladesh
Bangladesh Rohingya camps have hosted 65,000 refugees fled from Myanmar only since 2017. Their compromised living environment and limited physical and socioeconomic facilities make them highly sensitive to COVID-19. The Government of Bangladesh and international aid agencies have applied WHO's...
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doaj-81d2268bf2d44f7189edccc8d8a199732021-07-13T04:09:56ZengElsevierJournal of Migration and Health2666-62352021-01-014100052Investigating the resilience of refugee camps to COVID-19: A case of Rohingya settlements in BangladeshSalma Akter0Tapan Kumar Dhar1Abid Ibna A. Rahman2Md. kamal Uddin3Lecturer, Architecture Department, Premier University, Chittagong, Bangladesh; Corresponding author.Professor, Architecture Discipline Khulna University, Khulna BangladeshProject Manager, WASH, Action Aid Bangladesh, Cox's bazar, BangladeshConstruction Engineer, Volume 11, 20/c Amirbag, Mehedibag, Chittagong, BangladeshBangladesh Rohingya camps have hosted 65,000 refugees fled from Myanmar only since 2017. Their compromised living environment and limited physical and socioeconomic facilities make them highly sensitive to COVID-19. The Government of Bangladesh and international aid agencies have applied WHO's IPC (Infection, Prevention, and Control) guidelines to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 outbreaks and enhance their resilience. However, Rohingyas often disregard these guidelines or become reluctant to follow them. Building on 10 in-depth interviews, 66 questionnaires, and observation, the study investigates the limitations and challenges of implementing these guidelines toward building community resilience. It assesses their resilience, focusingon Kutupalong camp, Cox's Bazar−one of the world's largest refugee camps. Findings reveal that Rohingya's past experience associated with their psychological trauma largely influences their current actions and demotivates them fromfollowing the health guidelines. Their deep mistrust of and disrespect to healthcare providers and aid agencies discourage them to follow the IPC. Also, insufficient built infrastructure and unhygienic living conditions, including improper WASH management, increase their risk to COVID-19. The study highlights a need for understanding their socio-psychological values and cultural narratives and recommends a set of guidelines for policymakers and aid agencies to build community resilience to COVID -19.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623521000192COVID-19Rohingya refugeeCommunity resilienceInformalityKutupalong |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Salma Akter Tapan Kumar Dhar Abid Ibna A. Rahman Md. kamal Uddin |
spellingShingle |
Salma Akter Tapan Kumar Dhar Abid Ibna A. Rahman Md. kamal Uddin Investigating the resilience of refugee camps to COVID-19: A case of Rohingya settlements in Bangladesh Journal of Migration and Health COVID-19 Rohingya refugee Community resilience Informality Kutupalong |
author_facet |
Salma Akter Tapan Kumar Dhar Abid Ibna A. Rahman Md. kamal Uddin |
author_sort |
Salma Akter |
title |
Investigating the resilience of refugee camps to COVID-19: A case of Rohingya settlements in Bangladesh |
title_short |
Investigating the resilience of refugee camps to COVID-19: A case of Rohingya settlements in Bangladesh |
title_full |
Investigating the resilience of refugee camps to COVID-19: A case of Rohingya settlements in Bangladesh |
title_fullStr |
Investigating the resilience of refugee camps to COVID-19: A case of Rohingya settlements in Bangladesh |
title_full_unstemmed |
Investigating the resilience of refugee camps to COVID-19: A case of Rohingya settlements in Bangladesh |
title_sort |
investigating the resilience of refugee camps to covid-19: a case of rohingya settlements in bangladesh |
publisher |
Elsevier |
series |
Journal of Migration and Health |
issn |
2666-6235 |
publishDate |
2021-01-01 |
description |
Bangladesh Rohingya camps have hosted 65,000 refugees fled from Myanmar only since 2017. Their compromised living environment and limited physical and socioeconomic facilities make them highly sensitive to COVID-19. The Government of Bangladesh and international aid agencies have applied WHO's IPC (Infection, Prevention, and Control) guidelines to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 outbreaks and enhance their resilience. However, Rohingyas often disregard these guidelines or become reluctant to follow them. Building on 10 in-depth interviews, 66 questionnaires, and observation, the study investigates the limitations and challenges of implementing these guidelines toward building community resilience. It assesses their resilience, focusingon Kutupalong camp, Cox's Bazar−one of the world's largest refugee camps. Findings reveal that Rohingya's past experience associated with their psychological trauma largely influences their current actions and demotivates them fromfollowing the health guidelines. Their deep mistrust of and disrespect to healthcare providers and aid agencies discourage them to follow the IPC. Also, insufficient built infrastructure and unhygienic living conditions, including improper WASH management, increase their risk to COVID-19. The study highlights a need for understanding their socio-psychological values and cultural narratives and recommends a set of guidelines for policymakers and aid agencies to build community resilience to COVID -19. |
topic |
COVID-19 Rohingya refugee Community resilience Informality Kutupalong |
url |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623521000192 |
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