Ministry of Health and IOM cooperate to improve migrant health

Migrants are a vulnerable group, lacking access to necessary health services.

According to experts, Vietnam is a country with a large source of labor exports, especially in the context of high demand for job opportunities abroad. Recent data shows a resurgence of international labor migration, with about 155,000 Vietnamese citizens finding jobs abroad in 2023 alone, equivalent to nearly one-third of new workers entering the labor market.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Tri Thuc and Ms. Park Mi-Hyung, Head of IOM Mission in Vietnam, signed the cooperation agreement on the afternoon of September 18.

Similar to other countries in the ASEAN region, the burden of health problems in Vietnam remains complex, including infectious diseases, occupational health risks and injuries, mental health challenges, non-communicable diseases (such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes), and maternal and child health issues.

Infectious diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis and malaria continue to be significant concerns.

Furthermore, achieving the goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) remains challenging and is even more difficult for migrants.

In recent years, the Ministry of Health and IOM have actively cooperated in many areas related to ensuring the health of migrants.

Recent studies conducted by IOM in the region have highlighted the challenges that cross-border migrants face in accessing health care including language barriers, discrimination, financial constraints, lack of health insurance for cross-border travel, and lack of formal cross-border referral mechanisms for migrant patients.

Migrants will therefore be more vulnerable in emergency situations during the pandemic due to inadequate access to necessary health care services.

Strengthening cooperation to improve health and quality of life for migrants

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Nguyen Tri Thuc, Deputy Minister of Health, said that in 1988, the International Organization for Migration cooperated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cho Ray Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City) to implement activities of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to support and facilitate migrants.

To date, these activities have played an important role in health checks and travel support for migrants in Vietnam. This is also an important milestone in the close and long-term cooperation between Vietnam and IOM in the health sector.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Tri Thuc spoke at the ceremony.

According to Deputy Minister Nguyen Tri Thuc, in recent years, the Ministry of Health and IOM have actively cooperated in many areas related to ensuring the health of migrants, including activities such as raising awareness of migrant health, typically the formation of the Vietnam Migrant Health Technical Group.

This is an Inter-Ministerial Technical Group established by the Minister of Health in May 2021. The group has published and shared 23,500 copies of the Health Handbook for Vietnamese workers working in Japan and Korea in an effort to raise awareness and understanding of migrants, especially Vietnamese workers abroad, about health and medical information in the host country.

In addition, the two sides have strengthened bilateral cooperation in cross-border tuberculosis control and public health emergency preparedness and response. In 2024, IOM supported the health authorities of Vietnam and the Kingdom of Cambodia to organize a bilateral workshop on preparedness and response to disease outbreaks.

In addition, IOM has supported strengthening regional cooperation, through regional workshops on migration and migrant health to improve the health of migrants. At the same time, it has supported Vietnam and the health sector in implementing the United Nations Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, which was issued by the Prime Minister in Decision 402/QD-TTg dated March 20, 2020.

Leaders of the Ministry of Health and IOM took a souvenir photo at the ceremony.

At the ceremony, Ms. Park Mi-Hyung, Head of IOM Mission in Vietnam, emphasized the importance of this timely cooperation to ensure the health and quality of life of migrants, in line with the objectives of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“ In an increasingly mobile world, collaboration and partnerships are vital to improving the health and quality of life of migrants. Healthy migrants contribute to healthy communities ,” said Park Mi-Hyung.

According to the Head of IOM Mission in Vietnam, this cooperation agreement between IOM and the Ministry of Health provides a framework for cooperation to strengthen the partnership in the health sector between the two agencies.

As the United Nations' leading agency for safe migration, IOM is committed to a long-term and strategic partnership with the Government of Viet Nam, especially the Ministry of Health, to ensure health and quality of life for all, including migrants.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/bo-y-te-va-to-chuc-di-cu-quoc-te-tang-cuong-hop-tac-nang-cao-suc-khoe-cho-nguoi-di-cu-172240918211826937.htm