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Policy & Global Development

Migration, COVID-19 and the Right to Health in Latin America: Challenges and Responses

Date
14/04/2021
Hour
17.30 h. CET
Place
Virtual (Zoom platform)
Speakers
Keynote Speaker: Michelle Bachelet, High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN) | Panel: María Andrea Godoy (Vice Minister of Social Protection, Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Colombia) · Maritza Ortiz (Government of Peru) · Santino Severoni (WHO) · Rafael Vilasanjuan (ISGlobal, GAVI) · Adrián Bonilla Soria (EU-LAC) · Báltica Cabieses (UDD, Lancet Migration) · Carolina Batista (ISGlobal, MSF, Lancet Migration) · Carlos Arósquipa (OPS/OMS Consultant, Lancet Migration)

The COVID-19 pandemic has once again highlighted the structural inequalities faced by many migrants, as well as the importance of including migrants and refugees in all aspects of the health system response. Factors such as lack of access to health care, poor living conditions and economic precariousness have had a disproportionate impact especially on the most marginalized migrants and refugees during COVID-19.

In May 2020, the Lancet Migration published a Global Call to Action that highlighted the urgent need to include migrants and refugees in health systems responses to COVID-19 outlining key aspects of the response in relation to migrants and refugees in different countries of the world. Although there are some examples of good practices in various countries around the world, the reality is that so far migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are not adequately considered in the responses of the health system to the pandemic. This situation could be aggravated in regions such as Latin America, where the intensity of human displacement flows and the difficulties in accessing diagnoses, treatments and vaccines against COVID-19 can act as a perfect storm.

To debate these issues, identify the best solutions and highlight existing good practices, the Lancet Migration Latin America initiative and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), together with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), have organized the webinar 'Migration, COVID-19 and the right to health in Latin America: challenges and responses'. This important conversation takes place in the context of the Ibero-American Summit of Andorra (April 24, 2021), in which the governments and institutions of the region are expected to offer strong responses to this challenge.

Speakers

Keynote speaker: Michelle Bachelet, High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN).

Panel with:

  • María Andrea Godoy, Vice Minister of Social Protection, Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Colombia.
  • Maritza Ortiz, Ministry of Health, Perú.
  • Santino Severoni, Director of the Health and Migration Programme (PHM), Office of the Deputy Director-General, World Health Organization (Geneva).
  • Rafael Vilasanjuan, Policy and Global Development Director ISGlobal) and GAVI Board Member.
  • Adrián Bonilla Soria, Executive Director EU-LAC-Foundation.
  • Báltica Cabieses, Universidad de Desarrollo de Santiago de Chile and co-leader of Lancet Migration Latin America.
  • Carolina Batista, Latin America Coordinator (ISGlobal), Médecins Sans Frontières, member of Lancet Migration Latin America.

Moderator: Carlos Arósquipa, International consultant for the PAHO/WHO Subregional Programme for South America, and member of Lancet Migration Latin America.

Introduction: Gonzalo Fanjul, Policy Director at ISGlobal.

Concluding remarks: Michael Knipper (Lancet Migration).

 

The webinar will have simultaneous translation into Spanish, English and Portuguese.

 

More information

Migration and health in Latin America during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Comment in The Lancet signed by some members of the initiative Lancet Migration Latin America (Ietza Bojorquez et al). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00629-2. 3 April 2021.

 

Presentación principal: Michelle Bachelet, Alta Comisionada para los Derechos Humanos (ONU) | Panel: María Andrea Godoy y Maritza Ortiz (Gobierno Perú) · Santino Severoni (OMS) · Rafael Vilasanjuan (ISGlobal, GAVI) · Leire Pajín (ISGlobal) · Báltica Cabieses (UDD, Lancet Migration) · Carolina Batista (ISGlobal, MSF, Lancet Migration) · Carlos Arósquipa (Consultor OPS/OMS, Lancet Migration)