PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Orphans, especially those who experience maternal loss at a young age, face significant long-term negative impacts on their lives and psychological well-being, extending beyond the age of 18. As of July 2023, the global death toll of COVID-19 has reached 6.9 million, leaving behind an unknown number of orphans who require immediate attention and support from policymakers. In Thailand, from April 2020 to July 2022, the total number of COVID-19-related deaths reached 42,194, resulting in 4,139 parental orphans. Among them, 452 (10.9%) were children under the age of five, who are particularly vulnerable and necessitate special policy attention and ongoing support. While the provision of 12 years of free education for all and Universal Health Coverage helps alleviate the education and health expenses borne by households supporting these orphans, the monthly government support of 2,000 Baht until the age of 18 is insufficient to cover their living costs and other education-related expenditures. We advocate for adequate financial and social support for COVID-19 orphans, emphasizing the importance of placing them with relatives rather than institutional homes. In the context of post-pandemic recovery, this perspective calls upon governments and global communities to estimate the number of orphans and implement policies to safeguard and support them in the aftermath of COVID-19.
摘要：
孤儿,尤其是那些在年轻时就经历了孕产妇流失的人，面对对他们的生活和心理健康的重大长期负面影响，超过18岁。截至2023年7月，COVID-19的全球死亡人数已达到690万，留下了数量不明的孤儿，他们需要政策制定者的立即关注和支持。在泰国,从2020年4月到2022年7月，与COVID-19相关的死亡总数达到42,194人，导致4,139名父母孤儿。其中,452（10.9％）是五岁以下的儿童，他们特别脆弱，需要特别的政策关注和持续的支持。虽然为所有人提供12年免费教育和全民健康保险有助于减轻支持这些孤儿的家庭承担的教育和医疗费用，政府每月提供2000泰铢的资助，直至18岁，不足以支付他们的生活费用和其他与教育有关的支出。我们主张为COVID-19孤儿提供足够的财政和社会支持，强调将他们安置在亲戚而不是机构住所的重要性。在大流行后恢复的背景下，这一观点呼吁各国政府和全球社区估计孤儿的数量，并在COVID-19之后实施保护和支持他们的政策。
