Migration and health news from around the WHO European Region
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Migration and health news from around the WHO European Region.
Migration and Health Newsletter
December 2023
International Migrants Day 2023: act today for a better tomorrow for all
18 December 2023
On 18 December, WHO/Europe marks International Migrants Day by joining the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in their call to act today for a better tomorrow for all. International Migrants Day is celebrated every year to advocate for migrants’ rights, including their right to health.
Migration has always been an enriching part of societies. One in eight people in the Region is a refugee or a migrant. Migration can provide many solutions to challenges in an interconnected world. To harness the power of migration to contribute to resourceful and resilient populations, and an economy of well-being for all, migrants’ right to health must be met. Good physical and mental health of host communities and migrants alike lay the foundation for thriving societies and social inclusion.
A milestone agreement for better refugee and migrant health until 2030
Astana, Kazakhstan, 26 October 2023
To address both the acute needs of refugees and migrants and their long-term integration in health systems, the 53 Member States of the Region adopted a new action plan for refugee and migrant health in a milestone agreement at the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Kazakhstan on 26 October 2023.
The action plan, stretching to 2030, reaffirms their commitment to the right to health, safety and dignity for all, including refugees and migrants. It defines the following 5 action pillars to improve refugee and migrant health.
- Ensure refugees and migrants benefit from universal health coverage
- Implement inclusive emergency and disaster risk-reduction policies and actions
- Develop inclusive environments that promote public health, social inclusion and well-being
- Strengthen migration-related health governance and evidence- and data-driven policy-making
- Explore innovative ways of working and develop enabling partnerships.
Action plan for refugee and migrant health in the WHO European Region 2023–2030
Summary of the action plan
More info
Armenia refugee response
Since September 2023, WHO
has been supporting the Ministry of Health of Armenia with the Armenian refugee health response through the WHO Country Office in Armenia and WHO/Europe. Alongside the Armenian Ministry of Health’s led response, WHO’s immediate objective is to support critical life-saving operations and the broader public health response.
Situation report No. 6, 27 November 2023
Latest updates
6 December 2023, Brussels, Belgium
On 6 December, WHO, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU) kicked-off a joint 2-year project aiming to improve access to health-care services for refugees and displaced people from Ukraine. Since the war began, millions of people have been forced to leave their homes. More than 5.9 million people from Ukraine are displaced across Europe as of November 2023. To help countries to manage the situation, WHO, IOM and EU are working with national health authorities on a the new project to support and strengthen their health systems.
More info on the kick-off event
More info on the project
Fleeing Ukraine: healthcare (europa.eu)
Ukraine IOM response 2022-2023
22-23 November 2023, Lisbon, Portugal
To address the severe health impacts of immigration detention, WHO/Europe – in collaboration with the International Detention Coalition (IDC) and the Collaborating Centre on Migration and Health Data and Evidence at Uppsala University, Sweden – invited representatives of the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region and other partners to a 2-day in-person workshop in Lisbon, Portugal. The workshop was hosted by the Ministry of Health, the Secretary of State for Integration and Migration, and the High Commission for Migration of Portugal in Lisbon, Portugal.
The 5th Health for All Film Festival (HAFF) calls for submissions from 1 November 2023 to 31 January 2024.
As for each previous edition, WHO invites public health institutions from around the world, nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs), communities, activists and students in public health, film schools, and other relevant domains to submit their original short films championing a health issue. Independent filmmakers, production companies and TV broadcasters are also invited to participate. This year's call includes the Migrants and Refugees Health Special Film Prize.
WHO outlines crucial research priorities for better refugee and migrant health
30 October 2023, Geneva
WHO has published its first-ever Global research agenda on health, migration and displacement to guide research efforts to understand and address the health needs of migrants, refugees, and all forcibly displaced populations and shape responsive policies and practices worldwide.
“I would have discontinued the treatment rather than be away from my daughter”
A new project is improving outcomes for Ukrainian refugees in Poland undergoing treatment for tuberculosis.
27-year-old Maryna knew only too well that tuberculosis was serious. Working in forensic medicine in Dnipro, Ukraine, she was regularly involved in postmortem examinations of patients infected with tuberculosis. Ukraine has the second highest burden of tuberculosis in the WHO European Region, with 73 cases per 100 000 in the population.
WHO Collaborating Centre on Health and Migration Evidence and Capacity Building in Italy redesignated
The Italian National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty (INMP) is now redesignated by WHO as a Collaborating Centre (CC) on Health and Migration Evidence and Capacity Building. To date, INMP has served as a CC for four years. It provides insights and offers context to support the design and implementation of policies that promote the health and well-being of refugees and migrants.
