Forced Migration and Access to COVID-19 Services in West Africa

Abstract

Forced migration crises in West Africa are intensified by humanitarian challenges, notably the severe effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, and the Niger Republic. Factors affecting forced migrants' access to COVID-19 services include inadequate institutional capacity, invisible health systems, control by non-state actors over key regions, and inequitable distribution of resources, which exacerbate the pandemic's duration. Public perception, such as beliefs and lack of public trust in COVID-19 policies, affected people's attitudes to the pandemic in West Africa. Lack of inclusion of forced migrants in national response plans affects equitable access and management of the COVID-19 pandemic in the focus countries. This article discusses forced migration and access to COVID-19 services in Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, and the Niger Republic, using reports from secondary sources to inform policy for effective management of the COVID-19 pandemic in West Africa. The paper dwells on the social determinant of health theory, explaining the impact of social and economic status and social cycles on access to COVID-19 services in West Africa. The paper proposes the establishment of funding plans aimed at addressing the needs of forced migrants within National Deployment and Vaccination Plans in West Africa.