Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services on Tuesday, announced that over 80 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) was provided temporary shelter by the government, amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
The individuals identified were taken to temporary accommodations and were provided with state-arranged meals.
Till date, the Ministry revealed that over 400 displaced individuals had applied for government assistance.
Additionally, HPA revealed that 25 of the homeless people who were drug addicts have been placed in rehabilitation.
The brother and sister evicted due to inability to pay rent has been provided a temporary shelter. This is the moment to show our humanity. If you give you get back in abundance.
— Aishah Didi (@aishamdidi) April 21, 2020
Minister of Gender, Family and Social Services Aishath Mohamed Didi requested people of Maldives to show more humanity. PHOTO: TWITTER
Previously, the government provided assistance to 48 homeless individuals including locals and expatriates.
?: #MaafannuPolice officers distributing food arranged by the government, to the homeless people on the streets. Their temporary accommodation has also been arranged by the government and @maldivianrc, during this lockdown. @MoGFSSmv @MVIaffairs @MoEdumv#COVID19Maldives pic.twitter.com/BjZpTPbhEG
— Maldives Police (@PoliceMv) April 15, 2020
The World Bank estimated that Maldives will be the worst-hit country in the economic regression caused in the South Asian region by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The recession resulted in certain landlords arbitrarily evicting tenants as a result of their inability to make rent. The government is in discussion to prohibit such evictions. Previously, the government noted difficulties in implementing rent control as it involved imposing restrictive measures on private entities.
“South Asia finds itself in a perfect storm of adverse effects. Tourism has dried up, supply chains have been disrupted, demand for garments has collapsed and consumer and investor sentiments have deteriorated”, said the World Bank.
In a bid to counteract the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the local economy, Maldivian government introduced an economic relief fund with MVR 2.5 billion intended to prevent the closing down of local businesses and the loss of jobs. The administration has asserted that it will prioritize companies that do not terminate staff members in providing the recovery loans allocated for struggling businesses.
The Greater Male’ Region was initially put under lockdown on April 15, following the first case of community transmission on COVID-19 in the Maldives. This was then extended until 1430 hours, April 17. With the latest extension, the lockdown in the area will be lifted on May 1.
The lockdown prohibits all civilians sans those with special permits to leave their residences, as well as a ban on all land and sea transportation within the area, effectively barring transitting travellers within the capital.
Maldives’ first confirmed case of COVID-19 from the capital city of Male’, was recorded on April 15, involving a local woman who presented to the flu clinic in Malé after developing coronavirus-like symptoms.
Although an index patient for the outbreak is yet to be identified, the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC)’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Monday, predicted that community spread of the virus began two to three weeks ago.
As of now, Maldives records 84 confirmed and 68 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 16 recoveries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The novel coronavirus has infected over 2.4 million people and claimed over 170,498 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 652,551 people have recovered.
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Source URL: Google News
