A draft strategy for refugee and migrant health was recently developed based on discussions about health and migration that took place at the 64th and 65th sessions of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in 2014 and 2015. The discussion points also considered the high-level meeting on refugee and migrant health held in Rome in November 2015 and the 138th session of the WHO Executive Board, which focused on promoting migrant health. The draft strategy will be submitted to the 66th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe.
Two issues
In addition to these two issues, the M8 Alliance also called for an inclusive approach to refugee health and migrant health. They call on governments to consider refugees in their preparedness plans and to recognize their particular vulnerabilities and needs. For example, refugees may live in overcrowded conditions with inadequate sanitation and limited access to health care in humanitarian settings. Moreover, it is crucial to integrate refugee populations into national public health systems and not make them vulnerable to financial consequences.
Migrant communities
This Special Issue of the Journal of Refugee Health explores the challenges faced by health professionals among arriving migrants. They often face language barriers and lack of recognition of their qualifications. This represents a significant loss of potential for the host country and the migrant community. Fortunately, there are solutions that can make a difference in the lives of migrant communities. For example, the Global School on Refugee and Migrant (RSH) will be held online from 25 to 29 October 2021.
