On 18 December, the WHO Regional Office for Europe marks International Migrants Day by joining the International Organization for Migration in their call to act today for a better tomorrow for all. International Migrants Day is celebrated every year to advocate for migrants’ rights, including their right to health.
People have always been on the move
Migration has always been an enriching part of societies. Of all 6 WHO regions, the European Region hosts the largest share of people living outside their country of origin, with an estimated 101 million international migrants out of a global total of 281 million. One in 8 people in the Region is a refugee or a migrant.
Migration can provide many solutions to challenges in an interconnected world. In many countries of the European Region, migrants make up a significant portion of the health sector. An assessment of the role of migrant workers across 31 European countries conducted in 2020 by OECD found that 23% of doctors and 14% of nurses were foreign-born. In cities such as London and Brussels, around half of all doctors and nurses are migrants.
Harnessing the power of migration
To harness the power of migration to contribute to resourceful and resilient populations and an economy of well-being for all, migrants’ right to health must be met. Good physical and mental health of host communities and migrants alike lays the foundation for thriving societies and social inclusion.
“Migration can offer significant social, economic and cultural benefits for our societies. To realize its potential for thriving, healthy populations, we must include refugees and migrants in universal health coverage throughout the migration route. Health coverage cannot be described as universal if it excludes refugees and migrants,” said Gundo Weiler, Director of the Division of Country Support and Partnerships at WHO/Europe.
New regional action plan – ensuring that migrants’ right to health is met
Earlier this year, Member States of the WHO European Region achieved a milestone by adopting the new Action plan for refugee and migrant health in the WHO European Region 2023–2030 at the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, held in Astana, Kazakhstan. By so doing, Member States reaffirmed their commitment to the right to health for all, including refugees and migrants.
The action plan identifies 5 strategic actions to improve the health of refugees and migrants in the Region through 2030:
- ensure refugees and migrants benefit from universal health coverage
- implement inclusive emergency and disaster risk reduction policies and actions
- develop inclusive environments that promote public health, social inclusion and well-being
- strengthen migration-related health governance and evidence- and data-driven policy-making
- explore innovative ways of working and develop enabling partnerships.
“Good health should not be determined by where someone comes from. This action plan lays out how to make our health systems more inclusive and people-centred. It gives concrete actions to ensure everyone benefits from universal health coverage, including refugees and migrants,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “This, in turn, strengthens public health more widely, safeguarding and benefiting host communities and refugees and migrants alike.”
Migrants in the WHO European Region still encounter many barriers when trying to access and navigate the health systems in their host countries. Among these challenges are unfamiliarity with the new health system, insecurity about entitlements, and difficulty in accessing translators and mediators.
With the new WHO/Europe action plan, Member States are better equipped to improve the health of refugees and migrants, thereby harnessing the power and potential of migration.