- Within its Migration Health Division (MHD), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in its role of United Nations Migration Agency, delivers and promotes comprehensive, preventive and curative health programmes which are beneficial, accessible, and equitable for migrants and mobile populations. Bridging the needs of both migrants and IOM member states. MHD, in close collaboration with partners, contributes towards the physical, mental, and social well-being of migrants, enabling them and host communities to achieve social and economic development.
- Migration is now a global phenomenon with close to 272 million international migrants (UNDESA, 2019) and an estimated 740 million internal migrants on the move (IOM, 2015). Hence, it must be recognized as a social determinant of health because it not only impacts on an individual’s physical vulnerability, but impacts on mental and social well-being. Migrants and mobile populations face many obstacles in accessing essential health care services due to several factors including irregular immigration status, language barriers, a lack of migrant-inclusive health policies and inaccessibility of services. Such disparities impact the well-being of migrants and host communities and undermine the realization of global health goals, such as preventing, treating, and eliminating HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and human influenza.
- The roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines has had similar outcomes, with migrants facing challenges in accessing the vaccines.
- In line with the joint guidance note on equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all migrants, IOM’s goal is to ensure that migrants are able to access COVID-19 vaccines by focusing on 3 major areas:
- Global vaccine procurement and introduction of new vaccines
- Improving vaccine coverage and equitable access for migrants and people in crises
- Strengthening national immunization systems