Presentation delivered by Prof. Dr. István Szilárd, University of Pécs Medical School, Chair of Migration Health, at the 65th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (Vilnius, Lithuania, 14–17 September 2015)

1. 65th Session of the WHO Regional Committee
for Europe
Vilnius, 14 – 17 September 2015
Public Health Implications
of Migration
in Europe
Prof. Dr. István Szilárd
University of Pécs Medical School, Chair of Migration Health

2. Facts:outof6,8billionabout
220millionpeoplecrossesbordersyearly,ofwhich90millionaremigrantworkers

4. 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

5. Migration related
general health challenges

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. Complex health screenings performed in the Migrants
Reception Centre in Debrecen/ Hungary
Need on policy guidance on health screening of migrants

10. Need on policy guidance on health screening of migrants

11. Need on policy guidance on health screening of migrants

12. Fertility in the European region
Economic impact? Occupational health challenges

13. Demographic forecast for the population
of the 28 Member States of the EU, 2013–2080
Economic impact? Occupational health challenges

14. 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.”