When the spread of COVID-19 accelerated in India, the informal economy and migrant workers were significantly impacted. However the government’s response schemes did not focus on their needs. For these vulnerable populations, it was not easy to follow the official guidelines for preventing virus spread. They experience precarious living conditions, shared water supplies, insecure food […]
Tag: Covid-19
Digital inclusion helps refugee communities respond to pandemic.
Heriot-Watt University researchers have created a mobile phone app to help refugee communities in Malaysia to access advice and resources. The app has been developed in close partnership with Aspire Penang, an NGO based in Penang, Malaysia, which works closely with the refugee community. It has also been supported by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Dr Gina Netto, of The Urban Institute, […]
Vaccine Cold-Chain Rapid Assessment Methodology
Mass vaccination of COVID-19 is a significant challenge for the Sub-Saharan Africa countries where most of the population lives in rural areas. Research by Dr Toby Peters and Dr Bing Xu aims to support vaccine delivery mechanisms at an unprecedented scale, based on a pilot study in Rwanda. The team developed an approach to evaluate the existing cold […]
Covid-19 meets indigenous knowledge
The Covid-19 pandemic created special challenges for indigenous communities around the world. Their beliefs affect their experience of the disease and how they respond to external advice. Dr Agnessa Spanellis worked with Colombian researchers to bridge indigenous beliefs with official guidance. The Department of Choco on the Pacific Coast of Colombia is one of the poorest […]