Turkmenistán - IOM, in partnership with Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, and the State Migration Service, is this week organizing an international roundtable on migration health.

Turkmenistan, which last year became a member of IOM, is experiencing rapid economic growth and has become a country of destination for international migrant workers. This poses multiple migration management challenges.

Migration health, together with disaster risk reduction and counter trafficking, was identified by the government as one of three priority areas for cooperation with IOM.

The purpose of the roundtable is to build the capacity of senior Turkmen officials in the area of international migration and health, and to help the government and its partners to align existing policies and practices with international standards, in the context of the 2008 World Health Assembly Resolution (WHA) on the Health of Migrants (61.17).

The roundtable is part of an IOM Development Fund-backed project: “Addressing Migration-Related Health Issues in Turkmenistan,” launched in July 2014, which will run through 2015.

Speakers will include experts from IOM and the World Health Organization (WHO), who will discuss the global policy framework, current challenges and opportunities. Senior public health officials from Portugal and the Philippines will also present on best practices in migrant sending and receiving countries.

“The roundtable will be a good opportunity for the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry and the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan to learn about the international policy framework on migration and health and good practices from other countries. As Turkmenistan is committed to broader international cooperation in many areas, including health, the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan will continue cooperation with IOM in migration related health issues,” said Mr. Ashir Ataev, Deputy Minister of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan.

For more information, please contact

Merdan Gochkarov

IOM Turkmenistan

Tel: +993124 20816

Mobile: 993 63 67 95 41

Email: mgochkarov@iom.int