IOM this week launched a study on the impact of migration on the
health of Bangladeshi men working abroad.

The study, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, was conducted by
the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research,
Bangladesh (ICDDRB).

Surveying 200 low-skilled returned migrants and 200 potential
migrants in a high migration area, the study showed that almost
half of them had suffered from a variety of mental health problems
or had experienced some kind of workplace injury.

Very few had been compensated by their employers for the cost of
their treatment and even fewer had been covered by any kind of
health insurance.

The study also showed that a significant number of respondents
had engaged in unsafe sex with people other than their regular
partner.

A large number also had very limited knowledge of HIV/AIDS and a
very low awareness of the risk of infection.

"We need greater policy intervention in this area to raise
social awareness, address the health needs of migrants and alert
them to health hazards," said IOM Regional Representative for South
Asia Rabab Fatima at a seminar to launch the study in Dhaka.

The seminar, which was attended by representatives from
government, the UN, international agencies, NGOs and civil society,
called for the mainstreaming of migrant health interventions in the
country's migration and health policies.

"Collaboration and cooperation is urgently needed among relevant
ministries, donor agencies and various implementing agencies to
reduce the health vulnerability of migrant workers," said Shamsun
Nahar, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and
Overseas
Employment.           

For more information please contact:

Asif Munier

IOM Dhaka

E-mail:  "mailto:amunier@iom.int">amunier@iom.int

or

Marufa Akter

Tel. +880.2.988.9765

E-mail: "mailto:makter@iom.int">makter@iom.int