Recommendations

Guidelines and policy recommendations must be issued and implemented in regard to migrant health, especially concerning HIV/AIDS/STD and reproductive health. It is international organizations with either migration or health within their mandate that must take leadership in such policy recommendations, and as a matter of urgency. The IOM may assist this process by providing a clearinghouse support regarding status and progress of improvements in (migrant) health in major sending and receiving countries.

Global attention must be drawn to the health access needs of migrants, particularly in relation to HIV/AIDS/STD. Strategic action will need to be undertaken at global, regional, national and local levels. Policies, activities, and information exchange must be coordinated between countries where migrants originate, transit and settle. It is UN agencies, and relevant international organizations and international NGOs that should organise to ensure that this happens.

Countries that receive migrants need to adopt health policies and practices that will remove economic, administrative and linguistic barriers to their access to health. Such policies and practices should specifically encompass all types of migrant, including the most vulnerable, such as seasonal workers and undocumented migrants. Gender issues will need to be integrated within policies and programmes.

STD and reproductive health services for mobile/migrant populations must be strengthened, in addition to and as part of HIV/AIDS prevention and care programmes.

Where appropriate, such programmes should address cross-border traffic and zones.

Prevention and care interventions addressing HIV/AIDS/STD and reproductive health should involve community mobilizers and facilitators. Members of the target community must be involved at all stages, from planning then delivering to evaluating health promotion and services delivery programmes.