Despite largely avoiding major COVID-19 outbreaks until mid-2021, Vietnam now has the fifth highest number of cases in Southeast Asia.
Factories are operating under strict conditions, with workers living at their worksites in strict social isolation. Living in these conditions has made it difficult for people to access essential sexual and reproductive healthcare.
Waves of layoffs and factory closures during 2020 and 2021 have forced many workers to travel back to their hometowns in mostly rural areas. These regions are often sparsely populated, due to a large number of labor migrants, and are now overwhelmed with the influx of workers returning home. This places a heavy burden on local health care systems and makes it difficult to access services deemed ‘non-essential’ such as sexual and reproductive healthcare and maternity care.
Through understanding the needs of workers and supporting employers to ensure the welfare of their migrant workers, MSI is committed to protecting female worker’s reproductive healthcare access during the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam.
Our COVID-19 response work across the Asia Pacific region is supported by DFAT under the RESPOND program.