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Notes from the Field: Splenomegaly of Unknown Etiology in Congolese Refugees Applying for Resettlement to the United States - Uganda, 2015

Approximately 70,000-90,000 refugees are resettled to the United States each year, and during the next 5 years, 50,000 Congolese refugees are expected to arrive in the United States. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) performs refugee medical examinations overseas for the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program. In 2014, IOM reported that a large number of U.S.-bound Congolese refugees from Uganda had spleens that were enlarged on examination. During two evaluations of refugee…

Partnerships that Facilitate a Refugee's Journey to Wellbeing

The current global refugee crisis involves 65.3 million persons who have been displaced from their homes or countries of origin. While escaping immediate harm may be their first priority, displaced people go on to face numerous health risks, including trauma and injuries, malnutrition, infectious diseases, exacerbation of existing chronic diseases, and mental health conditions. This crisis highlights the importance of building capacity among health-care providers, scientists, and…

West and Central Africa | IOM Ebola Crisis Response | June 2016

Migration Health – Annual Review 2015

This report illustrates IOM’s health activities in 2015 and presents key achievements in the three main migration health programme areas: (a) migration health assessments and travel health assistance; (b) health promotion and assistance for migrants; and (c) migration health assistance for crisis-affected populations. The report also highlights emerging themes in migration and health – work on advancing the unfinished agenda of migrant health for the benefit of all; and…

Health, Border & Mobility Management: IOM's framework for empowering governments and communities to prevent, detect and respond to health threats along the mobility continuum

IOM’s approach to responding to disease outbreaks and preparing for future health threats is particularly anchored upon human mobility, notably through the Health, Border and Mobility Management (HBMM) framework.  This document provides the scope of HBMM that ranges from collection and analysis of information on mobility patterns, to disease surveillance and health threat response mechanisms at spaces of vulnerability along mobility pathways. HBMM, therefore, ultimately…

Is Sri Lanka prepared for yellow fever outbreaks? A case study

MRS No. 52 - Summary Report on the MIPEX Health Strand and Country Reports

The Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) Health strand is a questionnaire designed to supplement the existing seven strands of the MIPEX, which in its latest edition (2015) monitors policies affecting migrant integration in 38 different countries. The questionnaire measures the equitability of policies relating to four issues: (A) migrants’ entitlements to health services; (B) accessibility of health services for migrants; (C) responsiveness to migrants’ needs; and (D…

Population-level effect of cholera vaccine on displaced populations, South Sudan, 2014

Following mass population displacements in South Sudan, preventive cholera vaccination campaigns were conducted in displaced persons camps before a 2014 cholera outbreak. We compare cholera transmission in vaccinated and unvaccinated areas and show vaccination likely halted transmission within vaccinated areas, illustrating the potential for oral cholera vaccine to stop cholera transmission in vulnerable populations.

Thematic Study: Cost analysis of health care provision for irregular migrants and EU citizens without insurance 

The thematic study developed and implemented by the Center for Health and Migration Vienna (C-HM) under the overall guidance of IOM Migration Health Division Regional Office in Brussels within the framework of IOM/EC EQUI-HEALTH project “Fostering health provision for migrants, the Roma, and other vulnerable groups”, analysed economic costs related to the exclusion of irregular migrants from access to the mainstream health care system. 

The…

Managing tuberculosis among labor migrants: Exploring alternative organizational approach

Purpose: High volume of international migration calls for the establishment of financial and organizational mechanisms that would ensure provision of treatment for tuberculosis (TB) among migrants. In the case of countries like Russia where budget funding goes for TB treatment, the need is acute as delivering these services is affected by social perception that they should be provided to taxpayers only. While official policies in Russia promote voluntary medical insurance…