International Organization for Migration (IOM) said only 3% of migrant workers comprehend healthcare materials. The rest do not, since the materials are not produced in their native language.
IOM revealed their baseline survey and preliminary findings in the inauguration session of the “Regional Consultation of Migration Health: Strengthening government’s capacity of selected South Asian countries to address the health of migrants through a multi-sector approach” conference yesterday in Dhaka.
19% of respondents knew nothing about healthcare abroad while 28% knew of its availability, and 49% found it unaffordable.
In order to assist with implementing the World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution in South Asia, IOM recently completed the regional research study “Baseline assessment of the health vulnerabilities of inbound and outbound migrants in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.”
The study included an assessment of migrants’ access to healthcare and other social services, a mapping of governments’ responses to address these vulnerabilities, and recommendations for action.
IOM Bangladesh chief of mission Sarat Dash said: “Not only on labour migrants, but also inclusive of other migrating populations, such as cross-border mobility, irregular migrants and environmental migrants, to move forward and identify core elements of a national strategic plan to address migration health.”
Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment secretary Khandker Md Iftekhar Haider, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare secretary Syed Monjurul Islam, World Health Organization representative to Bangladesh Dr N Paranietharan, national programme officer of IOM Nepal Bishwa Rai and Migration Health Physician IOM Pakistan Dr Waqar Ahmad were also in attendance.
