Governments need to include migrant communities in national
response plans if measures to counter any possible pandemic of
Influenza A (H1N1) are to be fully successful, says IOM.

Many governments had developed influenza and pandemic
preparedness plans before the current outbreak which, according to
the World Health Organization (WHO), has so far resulted in 331
confirmed cases in 11 countries. However, the needs of migrant
populations had often not been taken into consideration. These now
need to be so and urgently, if a global public health crisis is to
be averted.

Migrants cover a widely diverse range of people including also
irregular migrants, asylum-seekers, refugees, internally displaced
people. The social exclusion or marginalization of some of these
groups due to a lack of legal status and/or poverty often limits or
prevents their access to health services. With the WHO alert raised
to level 5 to indicate imminent pandemic, irregular migrants are
especially vulnerable.

"The rapid spread of the H1N1 virus is testimony to the critical
relation between human mobility and health. With migrants
representing significant numbers within national populations and
with the contagious nature of Influenza A which doesn’t
discriminate between nationals and non-nationals, it is in the
public health interest of every community to ensure all people have
access to clear information, treatment and care," says Jacqueline
Weekers, Senior Migration Health Policy Advisor at IOM.

"Efforts should also be made to allay fears of irregular
migrants who fall sick that they may be deported or face other
repercussions if they seek medical assistance," Weekers adds. "All
barriers to access need to be removed in such a situation."

Health information should be made available in linguistically
and culturally appropriate formats, particularly among the largest
migrant groups and at relevant locations, such as places of worship
and community centres, to reach migrants. Focus should also be put
on strengthening the capacities of and within migrant communities
to respond to a pandemic.

IOM fully supports WHO Director General Margaret Chan in her
statement that the "international community should treat this as a
window of opportunity ….. for global solidarity as we look
for responses and solutions that benefit all countries, all of
humanity. After all, it really is all of humanity that is under
threat during a pandemic".

On its side, IOM is working in partnership with its 125 member
states, international organizations, non-governmental
organizations, civil society and the private sector to address the
pandemic preparedness needs of migrants.