public health implications of migration in europe

65th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe

Vilnius, 14 – 17 September 2015

Public Health Implications of Migration

in Europe

Prof. Dr. István SzilárdUniversity of Pécs Medical School, Chair of Migration Health

Facts: out of 6,8 billion about 220 million people crosses borders yearly, of which 90 million are migrant

workers

Not exeptional magnitude in Europe

• In 1999 one million Kosovar Albanians have left their country out of the 2.5 million total population

• Civil war in the former Yougoslavia: Between 1992 – 1995 300 000 refugees have crossed the Hungarian borders

Migration related general health challenges

Migration related general health challenges

Ensure migrants’ health rights

Avoid disparities in health status and access

Reduce excess mortality and morbidity

Minimize negative impact of the migration process

Migration related general health challenges

• Health risks, exposure to hazards and public health implications for migrants and resident community; special attention to vulnerable groups.

• Health status of migrants: changing health profile, CDs & NCDs, re-emerging neglected diseases.

• Health systems’ preparedness, enhancement of capacity, and economic impact.

• Multisectoral public health and migration contingency planning, public health risk communication strategy.

• Access to health services and health-system barriers (cultural, social and linguistic); strengthening of cultural mediation and translation services.

• Migrant health training for health and non-health staff.

• Migration and integration policies.

Need for Human Resource Capacity Building Resolution of the World Health Assembly (2008) entitled “Health of

migrants”, calling for the creation of Migrant Sensitive Health System in order to filling gaps in the health service delivery and train health workforce on migrant health issues;

CHANCE consortium of six European Union Universities:

MSc in Migration Health will be launched in 2016 within the cooperation of Danub University of Krems, Austria and University of Pécs, Hungary

Tasks ahead already on short term

Complex health screenings performed in the Migrants Reception Centre in Debrecen/ Hungary

Need on policy guidance on health screening of migrants

Need on policy guidance on health screening of migrants

Need on policy guidance on health screening of migrants

Fertility in the European region

Economic impact? Occupational health challenges

Demographic forecast for the population of the 28 Member States of the EU, 2013–2080

Economic impact? Occupational health challenges

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights issued an overview of findings relating to migrant workers

(04 July 2013 )

„ …Many of them find so-called “3 D jobs”, dirty dangerous and degrading occupations that leave them exposed to a range of abuses, especially denial of their right to health. Language and cultural differences often exacerbate the risks taken by both regular and irregular migrant workers, so much so that many individuals who left their countries in sound physical and mental health, end up in a debilitated state because of States’ failures to provide primary and ongoing care, both physical and mental.”