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Mission impossible? Harmonising migration health data across countries

Abstract
Despite significant efforts, for example within the EU/ EEA, there are currently only few Health information systems (HIS) which are standardized across international borders, and even within countries there can be significant variations. Modalities, technologies and terminologies differ. In the field of migration health, challenges and variations can be more significant. This talk will explore the specific challenges in migration health-…

National preparedness and response plans for COVID-19 and other diseases: Why migrants should be included

Slogans such as “this viral pandemic respects no borders” or “this is an equal opportunity virus” are often echoed across media platforms and by officials. However, the true impact of pandemics like COVID-19 is rarely homogenous. The spread of the disease and its outcomes affect different persons in different circumstances and at different times in various ways. The interplay between the pathogen, host, and the environment shapes transmission dynamics. This granularity is key to…

Targeting COVID-19 interventions towards migrants in humanitarian settings

Millions of refugees and migrants reside in countries devastated by protracted conflicts with weakened health systems, and in countries where they are forced to live in substandard conditions in camps and compounds, and high-density slum settings. Although many such settings have yet to feel the full impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the pandemic is now having an unprecedented impact on mobility, in terms of border and migration management, as well as on the health, social, and…

Assessing the Health of Persons Experiencing Forced Migration: Current Practices for Health Service Organisations. In: Bozorgmehr K., Roberts B., Razum O., Biddle L. (eds) Health Policy and Systems Responses to Forced Migration

This chapter looks at the current evidence and practice of health assessments amongst persons, who experienced forced migration, including asylum seekers and refugees. It places health assessments into its historical context and outlines national and international frameworks relevant to these. The main body of the chapter reviews the current practice in health assessments alongside the policy framework and evidence and provides specific examples from countries. Doing so, it also outlines…

Tools to implement the WHO End TB Strategy: Addressing common challenges in high and low endemic countries

Aim
The purpose of this viewpoint is to summarize the advantages and constraints of the tools and strategies available for reducing the annual incidence of TB by implementing the WHO End TB Strategy and the linked WHO TB Elimination Framework with special reference to Oman.

Methods
The case-study was built based on the presentations and discussions at an international workshop on TB elimination in low incidence countries organized by the Ministry of…

Migrant Health in the Nexus of Universal Health Coverage and Global Health Security. In: Romaniuk S., Thapa M., Marton P. (eds) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Global Security Studies

In this chapter, Global Health Security and Universal Health Coverage are analyzed underlining the possible synergies and differences between them and the links to health, even as the two take very different routes and approaches. The actors engaged in each approach may often belong to the same entity, but they may also differ in terms of their focus, competences, and understanding of the societal needs. The two approaches are presented separately and then weaved together to demonstrate how…

Health information management in the context of forced migration in Europe. In: Fargues P., Rango M. (eds) Migration in West and North Africa and across the Mediterranean: Trends, risks, development and governance

This chapter provides an overview of health data among migrants on the Central Mediterranean Route, using a case-based approach. It outlines how data are currently collected and what are the strengths and weaknesses of these health information systems. Examples from Libya, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and a transnational electronic health record system show the variety of systems in place. Current health information systems that capture migrant health are very heterogenous, often not…