WHO: Refugees and migrants at a disadvantage in terms of health | free press
When it comes to health, there are major differences between refugees and migrants and the local population. In addition to language or legal barriers, other factors also play a role.
On average, refugees and migrants around the world are in poorer health than the native population.
This is not because they are naturally sicker than the people in their new environment, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported in Geneva. they might be less cared for.
In addition to language, cultural or legal barriers, these people also have other factors that generally affect their health. This includes education, income or housing. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks of around one billion migrants worldwide. This includes all people who have left their place of residence and live somewhere else – be it in their own country or in another country.
Migrants are among the social groups that are most neglected, writes the WHO after evaluating a meta-analysis with 17 million participants from 16 countries. They went to the doctor less often and had more work-related procedures. A significant number of the estimated 169 million international migrants – who also work in countries other than their home country – are employed in dirty, dangerous and stressful jobs. They are at greater risk of accidents at work or health problems directly related to work, such as exposure to toxic substances, than the local population.
The WHO is calling on migrants’ host countries to first collect better information about the health situation of the people and second to invest more so that they are well cared for. She points to the enormous contribution that migrants made in many countries during the Corona crisis. In some of the richest countries, up to half of the health workers are from other countries. (dpa)