The Americas continues to be the epicenter of the pandemic. Neither Chile nor any other country in the region will emerge quickly or satisfactorily from this crisis if all health services are not provided to everyone, without discrimination of any kind
Reacting to the publication today of the Chilean Ministry of Health resolution setting out who the COVID-19 vaccination plan is aimed at, and which in effect would exclude people who do not have a residency document, Ana Piquer, executive director of Amnesty International Chile, said:
“In the context of a generally successful vaccination plan that did not appear to be leaving anyone behind, the Chilean government is changing course and choosing the path of discrimination, denial of rights to at-risk groups and ignoring best health practices in its efforts to contain COVID-19. This resolution not only violates rights that by law the state must protect, it is also goes against to the very effectiveness of the vaccination plan.”
Last month, Amnesty International and more than 400 activists and civil society organizations issued an urgent call to states in the Americas, the region of the world most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, to refrain from so-called “vaccine nationalism”, whereby some countries would vaccinate only those with the legal right to remain in their territory. This would go against states’ obligations established in international human rights standards and the best practices recommended by international human rights and health organizations.
“The Americas continues to be the epicenter of the pandemic. Neither Chile nor any other country in the region will emerge quickly or satisfactorily from this crisis if all health services are not provided to everyone, without discrimination of any kind. The authorities have an obligation to immediately correct this error so that everyone living in the country, regardless of their immigration status, can have access to the vaccine and their right to health is effectively respected,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International.
