ECOSOC Annual Ministerial ReviewRegional Ministerial Meeting for Asia and the Pacific on

“Promoting Health Literacy”29-30 April 2009, Beijing

Enhancing Health Literacy Approaches for

Migrants, Mobile Populations and Host Communities

International Organization for Migration - IOM

International Organization for Migration - IOM

• Global intergovernmental body focused on all aspects of migration

• 125 Member States and 94 Observer States and other Organizations

• Field-oriented, with offices in 430 locations around the world, nearly 6700 staff, and a project base of approximately one billion dollars (US) in 2008

• Humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society

• Migration and Health is one of IOM’s primary areas of focus

Changes in Migration Patterns

PACE - faster mobility and migration

move DIVERSE types of migrants and mobile populations (regular, irregular; cross-border and internal)

One of every 35 persons is an international migrant. (IOM Migration World Report, 2005)

• Migration as such need not be a risk-factor to health

• However, the circumstances surrounding the migration process can pose risks to health

Migration and Health

Vulnerability and migrant health determinants

transit

origin

return

destination

No or limited

access to health

services, but many

risk factors

Migration and Health : Interlinked and Interdependent

• IOM looks at HEALTH as a positive migration outcome advocate for rights of migrants to access health services, especially those who find themselves in vulnerable situations

• Well-managed migrant health benefits all

• Facilitates integration: healthy migrants are productive members of the community

• Stabilizes communities

Health literacy and  access  to health

Government ownership

Primary Health Care pillars

& Health system

strengthening

Connect countries

Rightsbased

Involve migrants & community

Inclusive: access to

all

Multi-sectoral

Engaging migrants & partners in improving migrant-friendly access to health care services

World Health Assembly Resolution, 2008 : Migrants’ Health

Health information Health promotion,

disease prevention Treatment and care Referral systems Health surveillance, research Language, gender &

culturally appropriate

Examples of I0M/Government Information-Education-

Communications Activities on HIV

and Safe Mobility

• Animation series– Series 1 ‘Love in the City’ - Labour Migration & HIV– Series 2 ‘On the Road’ - Highway Communities & HIV– Tailored training curriculum for HIV prevention and

information in the infrastructure sector

• Radio drama series• Life-skills activities manual, IEC materials** Edutainment media – fun and informative• 8 episodes, 10 minutes per episode• Dubbed in Khmer, Lao, Myanmar, Thai and Vietnamese; English subtitles

Examples of I0M/Government Information-

Education-Communications Activities on HIV and Safe Mobility

“ For Life, with Life” - a behaviour change communications tool

( 1-minute film clip)

HEALTHY MIGRANTS, HEALTHY THAILAND!

To improve health and well-being among migrants in priority provinces of Thailand

-- a sustainable and replicable model on health system strengthening, includes health literacy activities

Key objectives :

•To strengthen the capacity of health care providers and health authorities at all levels to provide accessible basic health services

•To build the capacity of migrants and communities in assessing and providing health services to their peers and families

•To create a replicable model for Migrant Health Program, sustainable model for migrant health services

•To increase health literacy and promote positive health behaviors of migrants and most communities

•To support positive migrant health

policy changes

Chiang Rai

Tak

Samutsakorn

Bangkok

Ranong

Pang Nga

Some Lessons Learned / Elements of Best Practices inMigrant Health Services and Health Literacy

Effective inclusive health literacy policies and delivery systems that include informed cultural mediators and/or health promoters/health care providers

Active community participation  by promoting health-seeking behaviours and trust (through health education and health literacy)

Use of balanced & innovative strategies that aim at equitable primary health care services also for the host communities

Orderly migration management including cross border health cooperation, understanding and services

In previous ECOSOC preparatory & related meetings, action points raised

Blending traditional health practices to health literacy approaches

• Very limited information on health literacy in Asia and the Pacific national, regional/sub-regional assessments – including a focus on migrants

• In light of financial crisis – ensuring that health of the workforce including migrants is addressed: Healthy workforces = Healthy economies (China)

• Effective health literacy strategy on environmental and climate change (ex. water table salinization in island States; population relocation and impacts on health)

• Health literacy approaches on emerging/re-emerging communicable diseases , and non communicable diseases

Achieving MDGs, Migrants and Health LiteracyKey Messages

1.Healthy migrants = healthy communities

2.MDG Achievement will depend in many cases on focused inclusion of migrants in the target groups

3.Migrants have specific health needs and assessments and goals in health literacy need to be tailored for migrant groups and mobile populations

Thank you!

Mr. Charles Harns Regional Representative, Manila(charns@iom.int)

Mr. Thomas Sinkovits Head of Office, Beijing(tsinkovits@iom.int)

Dr. Nenette Motus Regional Migration Health

Manager, Bangkok(nmotus@iom.int)