Refugee and migrant health strategy for the Eastern Mediterranean Region

1. Dr Ali Ardalan
Regional Advisor
Refugee and migrant health
strategy for the Eastern
Mediterranean Region
Sixty-eighth session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean
Cairo, Egypt, 11–14 October 2021

2. of IDPs
worldwide live in
the Region
43%
20.7 million
of refugees
worldwide are
from the Region
66%
17.5 million
of refugees
worldwide live
in the Region
49%
11.4 million
50%
of those are
Palestinian
Stretching the
capacities of
already stressed
health systems
Vulnerable to
poor health due
to living
conditions
Limited access to
quality health
care
Financial
hardship even
if the service is
available
Displaced
mainly due to
violent conflicts
130%
increase in number of forcibly
displaced from 2010 to 2020
Photograph: Petros
Giannakouris/AP.
Refugees and IDPs

3. Poor living
conditions
Different access to health
services and accompanying
financial hardship
Difficult to protect
the
undocumented
of migrant
workers are from
the Region
50%
46 million
migrant workers in
the Region
An opportunity for regional development and growth
Challenges
(mainly for
unskilled)
Migrant workers

4. An increasing share of the migrant health workforce in OECD countries over the
last two decades
Pakistan
Iran (Islamic
Republic of)
Egypt
Iraq
Syrian Arab
Republic
Leading source countries
include several countries in
the Region
17% of nurses and 20% of doctors have left
Lebanon during the recent crisis
Migration of health workforce

5. Country Initiatives and Good Practices
All Member States of the
Region signed the Global
Compact for Migration
(GCM) and affirmed their
commitment to the Global
Compact on Refugees
Nine countries made
statements endorsing and
welcoming the GCM in
Marrakesh, December
2018
GCC countries
Inclusion of migrants in COVID-19
response and vaccination
Lebanon
• Risk communication & community engagement
for COVID-19 vaccine roll out
• Academic & research programmes
Afghanistan
COVID-19
surveillance and
vaccination
Sudan
Establishment of
migration health
desk
Integrated health
service delivery
Jordan
Insurance scheme
for Afghan
refugees
Islamic
Republic of Iran
Pakistan
Vaccination of
refugees in
collaboration
with UNHCR
Morocco
& Tunisia
Inclusion in
national
plans
Lebanon,
Egypt &
Jordan
Hosting and
supporting
refugees
Supporting
displaced
populations
during Yemen
crisis
Oman
Egypt, Iraq
& Morocco
GCM
champion
countries

6. Strengthening of referral
system for camps and areas
of return, Iraq
Advocacy on COVID-19
discrimination against
migrants, Yemen
Support for health facilities,
Darfur, Sudan
WHO response to the needs of refugees
and migrants

7. Issue-Based Coalition on Migration
Taskforce on COVID-19 and
Mobility/Migration
MOUs and/or joint work plans with
IOM, UNHCR, UNRWA and IFRC
Interregional collaboration with
WHO Regional Offices for Africa,
Europe and South-East Asia
Partnership and coordination

8. Acknowledges that entitlements and access to
health services by refugees and migrants vary by
country and are determined by national law.
Recognizes the multisectoral nature of the refugee
and migrant health agenda and seeks synergies and
coordination with relevant agencies at all levels.
Promotes
migrant-sensitive
health policies
and inclusion in
national health
systems Implementation will take account of specific country situations and be
in accordance with national legislation, priorities and circumstances, as
well as international instruments.
Global action plan on promoting the
health of refugees and migrants

9. Harmonize regional
efforts by WHO and
health sector partners
for effective and
efficient use of
resources and resource
mobilization
An opportunity to
collaborate together
to adapt the global
action plan
considering regional
contexts and priorities
Take a structured
approach to
mainstreaming all
groups of displaced
populations (IDPs,
refugees, migrants and
returnees) in strategic
and operational public
health planning
Better position health
among other sectors
and enhance Ministry
of Health leadership,
coordination and
technical capacities
Refugee and Migrant Health
Strategy
for the Eastern Mediterranean Region

10. To promote the health and
well-being of refugees and
migrants in the Eastern
Mediterranean Region
in an inclusive and comprehensive
manner and as part of holistic
efforts to respond to the health
needs of the overall population in
any given setting and throughout
the migration route
GOAL STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
Mainstream refugees
and migrants in
national health
policies, strategies
and plans
Timely and effective
response to the needs
of refugees and
migrants in
emergencies
Improve the social
determinants of the
health and well-being
of refugees and
migrants
Strengthen
partnerships towards
promoting the health
of refugees and
migrants
Goal and Strategic Objectives

11. Develop a
national strategy
to include the
health of refugees
and migrants in
national policies
and plans
Strengthen the
migration health
programme at the
Ministry of Health
and improve
multisectoral
collaboration
Integrate
migration health-
related variables
into health
information
systems and
surveys
Assess and ensure
continuity of
essential health
services during
normal conditions
and emergencies
Build
institutional
capacities to
support
research on
refugees and
migrant
health
Selected proposed priority actions for
Member States

12. Discussion
points
?
Strategic
objectives and
scope of the
regional strategy
?
Priority actions
for Member
States, WHO and
partners

13. “I have made universal health coverage, health for all, my top
priority. If we are to remain true to the principles of the
SDGs, and leave no-one behind, we must do a better job of
getting health services to refugees and migrants. And when
we say health for all, we mean, all, including migrants,
regardless of their status.”
“Access to basic health services, especially for
refugees, displaced populations and migrants,
is of paramount importance to rights-based
health systems and global health security.”