Migrant Health Volunteers promote access to COVID-19 vaccines
The vaccination plan that aims for all people living in Thailand, regardless of nationality, to have equal access to the COVID-19 vaccines has resulted in a coverage of over 72.9% of the Thai citizens - equivalent to 50.9 million people - receiving at least two doses of vaccines. Unfortunately, among the estimated five million migrant workers and their dependants in Thailand, the number of people having access to vaccination services is small. According to the central database of the Ministry of Public Health on COVID-19 vaccination services, as of April 2022, only 1.2 million Myanmar, Laotian, and Cambodian workers have received two doses.
The Vaccine Roll-out Project to support equitable urban vaccine roll-out for migrant workers, through the proactive work of Migrant Health Volunteers, has helped more than 1,526 migrant workers in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, and Samut Prakan access vaccination services while equipping more than 5,000 migrant workers with knowledge about COVID-19 risks and the right understanding of the vaccine. Thanks to the health benefits in boosting immunity, reducing the infection rate, minimising the severity of the symptoms in case of infection, and curbing the spread of COVID-19, the vaccine will enable migrant workers to grasp economic opportunities and thus help them achieve better quality of life as well as protection in everyday living.