Challenges to the implementation and adoption of physical distancing measures against COVID-19 by internally displaced people in Mali: a qualitative study

For almost a decade now, Mali has been facing a security crisis that led to the displacement of thousands of people within the country. Since March 2020, a health crisis linked to the COVID-19 pandemic also surfaced. The government implemented some physical distancing measures but their adoption proved difficult, particularly among internally displaced people (IDPs).

Led by Bamako University in Mail, this exploratory qualitative research study sought to identify the challenges relating to the implementation and adoption of physical distancing measures, and to determine the main mitigation measures taken by IDPs to adjust to these new policies.

The study demonstrates the difficulty for IDPs to follow most of the physical distancing measures and informs about the risk of disease spreading among IDPs with its potential consequences. It also shows the inability of mitigation measures to control the outbreak and suggests actions to be considered.