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“We have a lot of home deliveries” A qualitative study on the impact of COVID-19 on access to and utilization of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health care among refugee women in urban Eastleigh, Kenya

Background
Little is known about how pregnant refugee women, and the frontline health care workers who serve them, are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of health, and health service access. Women refugees are classified as a vulnerable group with regard to pregnancy outcomes and access to maternal care and may be disproportionally at risk for COVID-19 infection as they are likely to face unique barriers to information and access to reproductive health services during…

An immunization program for US-bound refugees: Development, challenges, and opportunities 2012–present

Background
US-bound refugees undergo required health assessments overseas to identify and treat communicable diseases of public health significance—such as pulmonary tuberculosis—before migration. Immunizations are not required, leaving refugees at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases. In response, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Department of State developed and co-funded a global immunization program for US-bound refugees, implemented in 2012 in…

Reaching out to migrant households during COVID-19 outbreak: the increasing need of social workers in Cambodia

Cambodia, a lower-middle-income country in Southeast Asia, reported 275 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Despite lower reported cases, COVID-19 impacts Cambodian socio-economic systems in profound ways. With more than 1.1 million Cambodians having migrated abroad and low-income families in rural Cambodia relying heavily on remittances, the sudden loss of jobs caused by the pandemic raised an important question on how migrant households are prioritized among the rising society-wide needs. Given…

Pre-migration TB screening-the first step is always the hardest

Abstract

As the proportion of foreign-born persons among TB notifications continues to rise, Japan is preparing to introduce pre-migration TB screening for those coming from selected countries, who are intending to stay for more than 90 days. It has announced that the programme will commence in 2020. In this review, the authors examine the experiences from two countries which already have years of experience in operating pre-migration TB screening, namely the United Kingdom…

Health of refugees and migrants from former Soviet Union countries in the Russian Federation: a narrative review

Abstract

This narrative review was conducted to synthesize and summarize available up-to-date evidence on current health status, including both non-communicable diseases and infectious diseases, of migrants and refugees from the former Soviet Union countries in the Russian Federation. Epidemiological and sociological studies with one or more determinants of the health, as well as relevant qualitative studies characterizing risk factors, well-being indicators, and lifestyles…

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-…

New Xpert MTB/XDR: added value and future in the field

The spread of DR-TB strains threatens recent gains in global TB control, with evidence that the majority of patients with rifampicin-resistant (RR-TB) or multi-drug resistant (MDR-TB) TB acquire their infection through person-to-person transmission. Inadequate diagnostic and treatment options have hampered an effective global response. The use of Xpert MTB/RIF as a rapid and sensitive frontline TB detection test has been shown to improve patient outcomes and is cost-effective, but data for…

Accessing health services in India: experiences of seasonal migrants returning to Nepal

Background
Migration to India is a common livelihood strategy for poor people in remote Western Nepal. To date, little research has explored the degree and nature of healthcare access among Nepali migrant workers in India. This study explores the experiences of returnee Nepali migrants with regard to accessing healthcare and the perspectives of stakeholders in the government, support organizations, and health providers working with migrant workers in India.

Methods…

COVID-19: Exposing and addressing health disparities among ethnic minorities and migrants

The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on health disparities and has created an opportunity to address the causes underlying these inequities. Every country has vulnerable populations that require special attention from policymakers in their response to the current pandemic. Inclusive policies that ensure equal access to care for everybody including COVID-19 testing, new therapeutics, and a vaccine (when available) will be critical to protecting the whole population. Migrants living in…

Tuberculosis in migrants - screening, surveillance and ethics

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious cause of human mortality and is responsible for nearly 2 million deaths every year. It is often regarded as a ‘silent killer’ because it predominantly affects the poor and marginalized, and disease outbreaks occur in ‘slow motion’ compared to Ebola or coronavirus 2 (COVID-19). In low incidence countries, TB is predominantly an imported disease and TB control in migrants is pivotal for countries to progress towards TB elimination in accordance with…