Human Catastrophe Unfolding In India, Nepal Is A Warning: Amnesty

Amnesty called on the global community to show solidarity and fulfil its human rights obligations to provide cooperation and assistance.

Governments across South Asia should treat as a warning the "human catastrophe" unfolding in India and Nepal, and immediately address healthcare shortages and strengthen their systems to respond to the rapid surge of COVID-19 cases, the Amnesty International said on Thursday. With India's and Nepal's healthcare systems struggling to cope with the massive surge in cases, the human rights organisation expressed its concern over the lack of preparedness in other countries in the region for the latest and the most deadly wave of coronavirus.  "Governments across South Asia must immediately address healthcare shortages and urgently strengthen their healthcare systems to respond to the rapid surge of COVID-19 cases in the region. Extremely low vaccination rates across South Asia have also left the region highly vulnerable, with pressing action needed at the global level to ensure more equitable access to vaccines," a statement from the Amnesty said. It also said that South Asia, home to a quarter of the world's population, is fast becoming the new global epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic.