There is a growing recognition of the relationship between health and mobility. Mobility affects the health of the people on the move, the communities in which they stay temporarily, and the home communities to which they ultimately return.
The challenge is to minimize public health risks and enhance the physical and social wellbeing of migrants. IOM assesses the health of migrants before, during and after their journeys. Beneficiaries include victims of trafficking, irregular and regular migrants, and immigrants. They frequently need treatment for illnesses contracted during their journey before settling into their new environment or returning to their home community. Many receive follow-up care through IOM’s network of specialists.
Through its partnership with the Harvard Medical School, IOM is responding to the lack of structured medical care in Aceh province by investing in capacity building for provincial, district and community health staff, providing relevant training courses and support for medical emergencies.
In addition to building dozens of satellite health clinics, IOM has rehabilitated several key community health centers (Puskesmas) and trained hundreds of health teams that include staff trained in mental health issues, to provide proper services in conflict-affected areas of the province. |
