Regional and National Policy Engagement on Migration Health

IOM has deepened its engagements with key partners at regional and national levels through its Regional and Country Offices, with a view towards fostering policy coherence and collaboration in evidence-based migration health policies.

In the South-East Europe, East Europe and Central Asia region, IOM’s Regional Office in Vienna in February 2019 participated in a High-level Technical Meeting on the Implementation of the Action Plan to improve Public Health Preparedness and Response in the WHO European Region in Istanbul, Turkey. In October 2018, IOM participated and contributed towards the discussion on primary health care as a minimum package of health care for migrants during the Global Conference on Primary Health Care in Astana, Kazakhstan (photo). This conference endorsed The Declaration of Astana, a reaffirmation of political commitment primary health care from governments, non-governmental organizations, professional organizations, academia and global health and development organizations.

In September 2018, as an active member of the Issue Based Coalition on Health and Well-being in Europe and Central Asia, during the UN General Assembly in New York, IOM jointly organized with WHO and the Government of Slovakia a side event (photo) on the UN Common Position on Ending HIV, TB and Viral Hepatitis through Intersectoral Collaboration in Europe and Central Asia.  IOM was also actively involved in the development of a paper on UN Common Position on Ending HIV, TB and Viral Hepatitis through Intersectoral Collaboration in Europe and Central Asia, ensuring that migrants are not left behind as beneficiaries of the actions.

In the West and Central Africa region, IOM Regional Office in Dakar shared its experience in advocating for migrants' access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in emergency and integration of HIV into emergency preparedness and response, contingency planning and continuity of care in humanitarian crises during a regional workshop organized by World Food Programme on HIV emergency preparedness and the continuation of care in humanitarian settings in April 2018 in Dakar, Senegal.

In the Southern Africa region, IOM Regional Office in Pretoria engages with Member and Observer States  to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and other regional partners in the annual Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa (MIDSA). In June 2019, IOM organized a preliminary session migration health on the margins of the Senior Officials Meeting and Ministerial Conference in Windhoek, Namibia. The main outcomes of the migration heath session were relevant key recommendations for action by SADC countries in the next five years. IOM also participated as a member to the Mozambique, South Africa and Eswatini (MOSASWA) Cross Border Initiative. In the East Africa and the Horn of Africa region, IOM Regional Office in Nairobi participated in and delivered a presentation with WHO on health security in the context of migration at the 10th Annual Harmonization for Health in Africa (HHA) meeting in Nairobi, Kenya in October 2018. This collaborative initiative provides regional support to governments in strengthening their health systems. The objective of the 2018 HHA meeting was to discuss how to enhance HHA support to countries in order to strengthen health systems and advocate for increased domestic resources for health to facilitate movement towards UHC and health security in the context of SDGs and the ongoing UN reform.

In the Middle East and North Africa region, IOM Regional Office in Cairo participated in and contributed towards the discussion on the socioeconomic aspects of improving migrants’ access to equitable health services during the Ministerial Regional Meeting on Universal Health Coverage in Oman in September 2018. This meeting resulted in Member States reaffirming their commitment to achieving UHC through the endorsement of the Salalah Declaration on Universal Health Coverage.

IOM looks forward to expanding it engagements with partners in the efforts to enhance the health of migrants through global health, migration and development policy frameworks.