Malé, Maldives — Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Maldives has recommended the migrant workers currently residing in MPL Hiyaa to get tested for Covid-19.
On May 31st, HRC visited the MPL Hiyaa flat where undocumented migrant workers or workers who did not register under the regularization program and were living in the streets of Malé city during curfew hours reside until they are repatriated.
During their visit to the MPL Hiyaa, the HRC team noted multiple things after discussing with the migrant workers living in the Hiyaa flat out of which the most important ways for the workers to get tested for Covid-19.
HRC recommended the government to test the migrant workers in MPL Hiyaa flat to get tested for Covid-19 and for them to quarantine according to the guidelines given by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) until their test results arrive. Along with this, HRC stated to immediately provide a way to separate the workers who need to be taken to the hospital for the first time.
The commission has also requested the authorities to consult the migrant workers that are brought to the Hiyaa Flat to a doctor within 24 hours to do a medical checkup and to make sure that the workers with long term medical conditions are receiving their medicines without any trouble.
The authorities have also been asked to inform the migrant workers in the hospital of the reason why and for how long they will be staying at the hospital along with providing ways for these workers to receive clothes. Until then, HRC has requested the authorities to immediately provide these migrant workers with the necessary clothing.
In addition to this, HRC has also stated to provide a date for when the properties of the migrant workers that were taken during their transportation to the MPL Hiyaa will be returned to the respective owners.
HRC mentioned that they have noted several other points other than these to the authorities regarding the migrant workers living in MPL Hiyaa.
HRC stated that the aim of their visit to MPL Hiyaa flat was to gather information on how the authorities are taking undocumented migrant workers and the living condition of the place they are given to reside in and to make sure that those workers are provided basic rights.
