Against the Current: The Challenge of Including the Health Needs (and Rights) of Migrants in Health Care Strategies

Ana Requena, an ISGlobal Medical Research Fellow, is one of the coordinators of an upcoming intensive course organised by ISGlobal to be held on 25 and 26 November entitled Against the Current: Migration and Health in the Mediterranean (registration deadline 15 November)  

Migration, or the movement of people from the geographical area where they live to another place, should not only be a fact but also a right

Migration, or the movement of people from the geographical area where they live to another place, should not only be a fact but also a right. Today, the absence of this right to migrate has led to a change in the common perception of what a migrant is, with the term “migrants” being used only to refer to groups of people who have been forced to migrate as a result of various negative circumstances (political, economic, climate change, etc.). In parallel, people who by the very definition of the word should be considered migrants—I myself am a migrant, just like any other person who has changed their place of residence—are no longer classified as migrants but are referred to as the “foreign population”.

The period between the moment an individual decides to migrate until he or she reaches a new place of residence and adapts to a new life is called the migration process and can involve different situations and can take very diverse forms. This process can vary greatly in length and also in terms of the vulnerability of the migrant and their health needs.

The challenge is to incorporate the health care needs of immigrants into national health plans, policies and strategies

Therefore, it is impossible to understand an individual’s migratory process by simply looking at a snapshot of the situation at a particular moment. Rather, it is essential to take into account the whole context that surrounds the migrant individual or group from the time they leave their region or country until they adapt to life in their new home.

In recent years, the number of people attempting to migrate to Europe has risen considerably in a situation exacerbated by the war in Syria and the increasing flow of refugees coming from West Africa, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa who aspire to enter the European Union. The severity of the current situation has led to its designation as an international migration crisis.   

In this context, the governments of many European countries are working on new policies and action plans that will ensure a rapid and efficient response in the event of the influx of large groups of people. However, mounting such a response requires effective coordination and cross-sector collaboration as well as liaison between the countries of origin, transit and final destination. The challenge is to incorporate the health care needs of immigrants into national health plans, policies and strategies, taking into account every individual’s basic human right to health and health care.

Migration does not, in itself, constitute a health risk. However, depending on their country of origin, migrant populations have particular health needs

Migration does not, in itself, constitute a health risk. However, depending on their country of origin, migrant populations have particular health needs, which may differ from those of the native population and may not, therefore, be included in the health plans of the destination country. Migrants also have different customs and lifestyles, which may change in the course of the migratory process as they adapt to the changing situation.  Migrants may also be affected by imported infectious diseases or diseases that are more prevalent in their community. Some of these conditions could result in serious problems if not detected promptly but can be cured without difficulty when diagnosed in the early stages.  

Mental health is one of the most neglected and uncharted areas in the context of immigrant populations, and the relationship between the migration process and psychiatric disorders is still poorly understood.

Research is crucial to identify the needs of immigrants and to inform the process of adapting and improving our health systems to meet the needs of this population.

Likewise, our ability to provide immigrants with quality health care will depend largely on the availability of specific training for health professionals relating to the overall health needs of this group.

On 25 and 26 November, ISGlobal is organising a course entitled Against the Current: Migration and Health in the Mediterranean. The two-day course will provide participants with the tools they need to identify and evaluate health needs and disparities in migrant populations in the Mediterranean region. It will also deal with best practices for meeting these needs, including screening and diagnosis as well as the management of the diseases most prevalent in this population. There will also be sessions on mental health problems and how a person’s culture affects their health needs and perceptions.