Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing pandemic and the challenges posed by the coronavirus infection, the National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday lauded the role of NGOs and civil society organisations. The rights panel also voiced concern about the lack of oxygen, beds, vaccination coverage and other health facilities among the nomadic tribes and unorganised sector workers.
The concerns about the marginalised section were raised during an online meeting conducted by NHRC with over 100 NGOs, civil society organisations and human rights defenders. During the meeting, it was suggested that the allocation towards public health should be enhanced to ensure health facilities including hospital beds and oxygen as well as vaccination coverage for all, including nomadic tribes as well as unorganised sector workers.
The misery caused due to this second wave of the Covid-19 virus in far-flung areas and the lack of reach of the medical care to them was also prominently flagged by the Human Rights Defenders, NHRC said.
“It was also very emphatically suggested that it is high time that the allocation of the public health system needs to be enhanced so that the country is adequately prepared to meet any public health emergencies and challenges in future,” the panel said, in a statement. It added that suggestions given by participants of Tuesday’s meeting will be compiled by the commission and will be forwarded to the Central and the State governments for necessary follow up action and implementation.
The rights panel said that suggestions given by participants of Tuesday’s meeting will be compiled by the commission to “suggest requisite initiatives/steps to mitigate the sufferings of the citizens of the country”. Over hundred participants, representing various national and international organizations, senior state government functionaries and NHRC officers attended the said virtual meeting.
