MIDSA Workshop on Promoting Health and Development: Migration Health in Southern Africa

IOM in partnership with the Southern Africa Migration Project (SAMP) and in special collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) organised a Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa (MIDSA) on Promoting Health and Development: Migration Health in Southern Africa from 10 to 12 June 2009 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The MIDSA was hosted by the Government of Tanzania with the main objective being to work towards the implementation of the WHA 61.17 resolution ‘Health of Migrants’ within the SADC region. The specific objectives of the MIDSA were outlined as follows:

• To raise awareness and increase understanding among Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Government officials on migrant health issues globally and in the SADC region in particular;
• To share good practices of governmental and non-governmental responses to improve migrant health from the SADC region as well as from other regions;
• To identify and agree on the main needs, gaps and challenges with regard to policies and programmes in the SADC region;
• To facilitate networking and increased coordination among SADC Ministries of Health, Home Affairs and other relevant sectors on the issue of migrant health; and
• To identify priority areas and recommendations for the implementation of the WHA resolution on Migrant Health in the different SADC countries.