The collaboration between Intersos and Asl aims to include the migrant population in the vaccination campaign, in particular those living in the ghettos of the Capitanata
For several weeks Intersos teams in Foggia have been providing information, collecting names and providing linguistic-cultural mediation to encourage the vaccination of the population living in the Capitanata ghettos, in collaboration with the Foggia Local Health Authority (ASL) which, since the beginning of August, has been running a campaign to include the migrant population living in the area in the vaccination campaign.
From the start of the campaign to September 9th 2021, about 3,500 migrants have been vaccinated in the Fiera Hub. This is an important result achieved in just a few days of activity, and it will hopefully be extended to the entire population living in the settlements, about 6,000 people at this time of year.
“Already after the first few weeks, information started to circulate independently among people, so that many are now spontaneously coming to the Vaccine Hub” – Daniela Zitarosa, head of Intersos projects in Puglia, says – “Moreover, undocumented people arriving at the Hub have the opportunity to request the STP code locally and this clearly represents further protection, as well as a first step towards mechanisms that really aim to include anyone in the Health System” .
The role played by Intersos in the vaccination campaign
Intersos staff supports the vaccination campaign through activities in informal settlements, where it provide informations to residents, collect the names of people intending to be vaccinated, then communicate them to the ASL, and assist people in filling in the information form. Intersos also intervenes at the Hub Fiera, where it offers a linguistic-cultural mediation service during the delicate phase of anamnesis and management of people who have booked and those who have not.
Vaccinating all people, even and especially those who have more difficulties in accessing the National Health System, is essential to protect everyone from Covid-19. The inclusion of the migrant population, in fact, is crucial to stop the spread of the virus. This was also affirmed by the Extraordinary Commissioner for the emergency in a recent circular letter of August 24th, which asks the regions to intensify the inclusion of undocumented people in the vaccination campaign. Although it could be improved, the campaign launched in the province of Foggia is a good example of the inclusion of marginalised groups, and Intersos hopes that all the regions will take action as soon as possible to set up similar mechanisms.
In addition to the activities in support of the vaccination campaign, we continue to carry out outreach medicine activities through medical visits in informal settlements and, since the beginning of the emergency in March 2020, we have been preventing and managing Covid-19 positive cases in settlements, following people’s isolation and contact tracing. Intersos’ activities to support the vaccination campaign are also possible thanks to the project “Su.Pr.Eme. Italia – Sud Protagonista nel superamento delle Emergenze in ambito di grave sfruttamento e di gravi marginalità degli stranieri regolarmente presenti nelle cinque regioni meno sviluppate”, founded by the European Commission’s Emergency Fami funds.