Overview
Coronavirus disease has had a major impact on the economy and health by restricting people from going out and forcing them to lead a different and "new" life. Rwanda has also seen efforts to combat the pandemic, but the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been significant and has also affected refugees living in Rwanda. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of December 2020, 164,000 people have been designated as refugees in Rwanda, with the majority coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, and neighboring countries in the Great Lakes region.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in reduced donations to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and greatly reduced food distribution to refugees, could easily have an unprecedented impact on those who are completely dependent on humanitarian aid. It is also feared that the inability to purchase food at adequate prices will expose them to extreme hunger, leading to forced returns and social conflicts, which will lead to increased infections and deaths.
This stressful environment puts the mental health of vulnerable communities at risk and increases the likelihood that their mental health will deteriorate compared to people living in other areas. Rwandan refugees are under the responsibility of UNHCR and WFP, which have stated the need to ensure that adequate food aid is provided to refugees, to ameliorate the risks to health caused by food insecurity, and to protect these vulnerable communities.
Manirambona, E., Uwizeyimana, T., Uwiringiyimana, E., etal. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food rations of refugees in Rwanda. Int J Equity Health 20, 107 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-021-01450-1
In Japan, too, the pandemic caused by COVID-19 has affected the economy, and it seems that the direction in which the pandemic will end is becoming less and less clear. In such a situation, some people blame those who provide aid to other countries, but it may be necessary to take time to think about the fact that the effects of COVID-19 are happening to all people.
