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Enhancing the health and safety of migrant workers

Migrant workers can be at high risk of exposure to workplace hazards and face additional work-related risk factors and unfavorable social determinants of health including employment and wage discrimination, poor working and living conditions, lack of access to social protection and language and culture barriers. These work-related risks can result in a higher incidence of occupational injuries and work-related diseases among migrant workers, compared with non-migrant workers.

RO Vienna MHD Annual Newsletter 2018

Overall consolidated report of the migration health activities in the IOM South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asian (SEEECA) region in 2018.  The report covers the activities of country missions and the regional office on Health Promotion and Assistance for Migrants (H2/MA) and Migration Health Assistance for Crisis-Affected Populations (H3/MP) programme.

Content: 

Spotlight: MHD SEECA at Global Events

Are left-behind families of migrant workers at increased risk of attempted suicide? – a cohort study of 178,000+ individuals in Sri Lanka

Background: There are an estimated 258 million international migrants worldwide. In Asia low-skilled workers often emigrate on a temporary basis (2–3 years) without their families. There is significant concern over the mental health and wellbeing of left-behind families in this region. No previous study has examined whether the risk of suicidal behaviour is elevated in left-behind family members.

Scale-up of HIV prevention along transport corridors

Nearly 30 years ago, the HIV epidemic was first identified as a major problem along East Africa’s road axes. While transport corridors are no longer the primary source of new infections in Kenya, they remain a significant driver of the epidemic. The Government of Kenya has therefore prioritized populations along transport corridors as among “the most important most-at-risk populations that are not adequately covered by the national HIV prevention strategy” (NACC, 2009).

The Biggest Fish in the Sea? Dynamic Kenyan labour migration in the East African Community

This study assesses the Kenyan policy and institutional framework concerning South–South labour migration with particular focus on the East African Community (EAC) countries. It focuses mainly on one particular policy instrument, the East African Community Common Market framework. The research further looks at country-specific policies in relation to the common market framework.

Health Vulnerabilities of Mobile Populations and Affected Communities in Selected Ports of Southern Africa – Walvis Bay, Namibia

Migrants and mobile populations are regarded as most at risk populations in relation to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and Tuberculosis (TB). Understanding such vulnerabilities is essential for the development of effective and efficient response strategies, as well as the implementation and monitoring and evaluation thereof.

Reflections on migrant and refugee health in Malaysia and the ASEAN region

Migrants and refugees face challenges accessing both healthcare and good social determinants of health in Malaysia. Participants at the “Migrant and Refugee Health in Malaysia workshop, Kuala Lumpur, 9-10 November 2017” scoped these challenges within the regional ASEAN context, identifying gaps in knowledge and practical steps forward to improve the evidence base in the Malaysia.

Migration of Health Workers

IOM works in collaboration with national governments and other stakeholders on programs that promote effective management of health worker migration, health systems capacity building in source countries and skill/knowledge transfer from the diaspora. Here are four examples of such projects that IOM has led and/ or contributed to, with the overarching objective of contributing to strengthen health systems around the world.