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Ahead of the International Day of Universal Health Coverage (December 12), as the world struggles to curb COVID-19, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, and IOM Director General António Vitorino , stressed that health services must include all people, including migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons and stateless persons, if we are to build strong systems that protect us all.
As the world prepares to distribute COVID-19 vaccines, IOM and UNHCR are urging world leaders to seize this opportunity and ensure that refugees and migrants are included in the vaccines’ distribution and allocation plans. governments and in ongoing essential health services. In these pandemic times and beyond, the two organizations are committed to continuing to strengthen their collaboration and stand ready to support governments in their efforts to make health care available to all, through universal health coverage, a reality.
“Access to health is a fundamental right, but all too often those who need it most, including migrants and forcibly displaced people, are left out,” said IOM Director General António Vitorino. “If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that poor health is a universal issue that does not distinguish based on nationality; therefore, to be truly effective, our health coverage shouldn’t be either, even in upcoming COVID-19 vaccination efforts. “
Migrants and forcibly displaced persons often face poor living and working conditions, face discrimination or exploitation, or do not benefit from social protection. However, to date, the IOM estimates that less than one in two countries (43%) provides access to health services to all migrants, regardless of their legal status. For decades, in more than 100 countries, IOM, in close coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, has been working with governments and communities to expand equitable access to health services for migrants. quality without financial burden and ensure that internally displaced people also have access to basic health services.
“It is critical that vulnerable populations on the move, including refugees and migrants, are not left behind by public health responses. The COVID-19 pandemic shows in no uncertain terms that universal health coverage has never been more relevant, ”said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi. “With global forced displacement at record levels, we need greater inclusion and support for the world’s refugees and the communities that host them.”
According to the most recent UNHCR data, global forced displacement surpassed the 80 million mark in mid-2020, more than 50 million of whom are forcibly displaced within their country borders. So far, governments, UNHCR, and other aid agencies have helped keep transmission rates among refugees at levels similar to those in host communities. The full inclusion of migrants and forcibly displaced persons across the spectrum of responses to the pandemic, from preparedness to health responses, access to vaccines and social safety nets, is a lifeline for individuals. that are forced to flee.
Universal health coverage, a key goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, is based on the principle that everyone everywhere should have access to quality essential health services without being exposed to financial hardship.
However, refugees and migrants are too often excluded from health systems. The challenges they face in accessing healthcare, outlined in the latest UHC2030 Alliance report on the state of universal health coverage, include a lack of inclusive policies, language barriers, or prohibitive costs. This is particularly the case in low- and middle-income countries, where more than 85% of the world’s refugees live and where the majority of new internal displacement due to conflict takes place, struggling to meet the health needs of their populations. own populations.
For more information, contact:
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Safa Msehli, IOM Geneva Spokesperson, [email protected], +41794035526
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Yasmina Guerda, IOM Public Health Communications Officer in Geneva, [email protected], +41 79 363 17 99
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Andrej Mahecic, UNHCR, [email protected] +41796429709
