Federal officials emphasize the significance of nomads’ health

The Federal Agency for the Affairs of Nationalities of Russia sent recommendations to subjects of the Russian Federation to analyze the situation among indigenous communities in connection with the threat of the coronavirus. On the website of the Agency it is published that a separate risk group includes those people, who lead the traditional lifestyle and are busy in traditional economic activity of indigenous ethnic minorities of the Russian Federation.

In connection with remoteness and inaccessibility of places, where indigenous ethnic minorities reside, low social mobility and difficult access to up-to-date information and public services, there is a threat both to health of individuals and to peoples themselves, whose number often does not exceed several thousand people. And their unique culture, traditional knowledge and languages are the national property.

Therefore, the Federal Agency for the Affairs of Nationalities drew attention of regions to the necessity to ensure sustainable communication with indigenous communities on remote, hard-to-reach and inter-settlement territories. The Agency considers it extremely important to monitor their health status and access to public services. They include medicine and distance education for schoolchildren, supply of food products and basic necessities. Also it includes fuel being used to maintain the mode of life activity in conditions of restriction of work of corresponding trade and supply organizations.