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| Launching ceremony of the Vietnam-Cambodia Border Tuberculosis Control Project Phase 2 on May 19. (Source: IOM) |
On May 19, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Vietnam National Tuberculosis Control Program (CTCLQG), the National Lung Hospital, the Ministry of Health of Vietnam and the Cambodian Center for Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control (CENAT) launched the second phase of the “Vietnam-Cambodia Border Tuberculosis Control Project” with financial support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The project aims to improve TB diagnosis and treatment for people who frequently travel in the border area between Vietnam and Cambodia, and enhance cooperation between health agencies in the four provinces of An Giang and Tay Ninh (Vietnam), and Svay Rieng and Takeo (Cambodia).
People who frequently travel across borders often face difficulties accessing health care services due to lack of health insurance, language barriers, limited understanding of the health care system in the destination country, and discrimination. These barriers can lead to delays in TB diagnosis and treatment, interruptions in treatment, poor treatment outcomes, and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).
In the World Health Organization (WHO) 2022 Report, Vietnam is still one of the 30 countries with the highest global burden of tuberculosis (TB) and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), while Cambodia is no longer on the WHO's list of 30 global countries with a high burden of tuberculosis (2021-2025) and is currently on the watch list.
In 2020, IOM collaborated with the Vietnam National Tuberculosis Control Program and the Cambodian Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Center to conduct a study to understand the barriers and facilitators that border migrants face in accessing and using TB diagnosis and treatment services for border migrants in the above 4 provinces.
The results of this study are intended to assist relevant health agencies of the two Governments in developing collaborative activities to control tuberculosis in the border areas between Vietnam and Cambodia.
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| In Viet Nam, IOM is working closely with the Migrant Health Working Group, an interdisciplinary working group established by the Ministry of Health, to address key issues related to migrant health. (Source: IOM) |
Speaking at the launch of the project, Ms. Park Mihyung, IOM Chief of Mission in Viet Nam, stressed that ensuring the health of migrants requires a comprehensive effort from all countries involved in their migration process. It is important to develop and complete a migrant-sensitive referral system to support border migrants with TB and facilitate the establishment of local TB and HIV/AIDS rapid response teams in An Giang, Tay Ninh, Svay Rieng and Takeo provinces. This will ensure that TB treatment for border migrants is not interrupted by all health networks in the region.
“I also welcome the cooperation of non-health agencies, such as immigration, border security, economic and development agencies. These efforts show that we all affirm the importance of healthy migrants for a prosperous economy,” said Park Mihyung.
Efforts to ensure the health of migrants are recognized by the World Health Assembly as a key global health goal and a cornerstone of the Sustainable Development Goals. The project is also linked to the implementation of Decision No. 5608/QD-BYT on the implementation plan of the Global Compact on Migration issued by the Ministry of Health in December 2020.
In Viet Nam, IOM is working closely with the Migrant Health Working Group, an interdisciplinary working group established by the Ministry of Health, to address key issues related to migrant health; and to engage with stakeholders to promote the implementation of migrant-friendly health policies.
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