Health Inequalities amongst Refugees and Migrant Workers in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Report of Two Cases

IF 1.3 Q3 ETHICS Asian Bioethics Review Pub Date : 2022-01-15 DOI:10.1007/s41649-021-00198-8

Shu Hui Ng

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引用次数: 3

Abstract

Malaysia hosts a significant number of refugees, asylum-seekers and migrant workers. Healthcare access for these individuals has always proved a challenge: language barriers, financial constraints and mobility restrictions are some of the frequently cited hurdles. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these existing inequalities, with migrants and refugees bearing the brunt of chronic systemic injustices. Providing equitable healthcare access for all, regardless of their citizenship and social status remains an ethical challenge for healthcare providers, particularly within the framework of a resource-limited healthcare system. Inclusive healthcare and socio-economic policies are necessary to ensure every individual’s equal opportunity to attain good health. The collective experiences of refugees and migrants in the pursuit of healthcare, as highlighted by the two cases described, showcases the importance of equity in healthcare access and the detrimental implications of non-inclusive healthcare and socio-economic policies.

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新冠肺炎大流行中期难民和移民工人之间的健康不平等：两例报告

马来西亚收容了大量难民、寻求庇护者和移民工人。事实证明，这些人获得医疗保健一直是一个挑战：语言障碍、经济限制和行动限制是一些经常被提及的障碍。新冠肺炎疫情加剧了这些现有的不平等现象，移民和难民在长期的系统性不公正中首当其冲。为所有人提供公平的医疗服务，无论其公民身份和社会地位如何，仍然是医疗保健提供者面临的道德挑战，特别是在资源有限的医疗保健系统框架内。包容性的医疗保健和社会经济政策对于确保每个人获得良好健康的平等机会是必要的。正如所描述的两个案例所强调的那样，难民和移民在寻求医疗保健方面的集体经历表明了公平获得医疗保健的重要性，以及非包容性医疗保健和社会经济政策的不利影响。

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来源期刊

Asian Bioethics Review Multiple-

CiteScore

6.20

自引率

3.40%

发文量

期刊介绍： Asian Bioethics Review (ABR) is an international academic journal, based in Asia, providing a forum to express and exchange original ideas on all aspects of bioethics, especially those relevant to the region. Published quarterly, the journal seeks to promote collaborative research among scholars in Asia or with an interest in Asia, as well as multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary bioethical studies more generally. It will appeal to all working on bioethical issues in biomedicine, healthcare, caregiving and patient support, genetics, law and governance, health systems and policy, science studies and research. ABR provides analyses, perspectives and insights into new approaches in bioethics, recent changes in biomedical law and policy, developments in capacity building and professional training, and voices or essays from a student’s perspective. The journal includes articles, research studies, target articles, case evaluations and commentaries. It also publishes book reviews and correspondence to the editor. ABR welcomes original papers from all countries, particularly those that relate to Asia. ABR is the flagship publication of the Centre for Biomedical Ethics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. The Centre for Biomedical Ethics is a collaborating centre on bioethics of the World Health Organization.