The workshop is a forum for delegates to discuss and enhance cooperation among ASEAN member countries to improve health and promote healthy living for migrants.
Delegates attending the workshop
The ASEAN region has long been a point of origin, transit or destination for migrants. Migrants of Asian origin are large in number (about 106 million), of which 60% (about 80 million) of the total international migrants reside in Asia. ASEAN is the region with the highest number of international migrants in Asia, after India and China.
Over the past 30 years, international migration rates within the ASEAN region have increased significantly and migrants are diverse in terms of gender, age, ability, sexual orientation and ethnicity, migrating for a variety of reasons.
In fact, migration has created complex health security burdens for the ASEAN region, including risks of infectious diseases, occupational injuries and accidents, mental health, non-communicable diseases, and maternal and child health issues.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, Deputy Minister of Health, emphasized that the workshop is a good opportunity for ASEAN member countries to identify the current situation and migration trends in the region and the world, as well as its impact on socio-economic development.
Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong
"We need to share lessons learned, initiatives and policy models from the region to strengthen cooperation among ASEAN countries as well as between ASEAN and its partners to promote and improve the health of migrants," Ms. Huong affirmed.
IOM Chief of Mission in Vietnam Park Mihyung emphasized that healthy migrants will contribute to creating healthy communities.
IOM Chief of Mission in Vietnam Park Mihyung speaks at the workshop
“Through the implementation of the Global Compact on Migration, the Sustainable Development Goals and the World Health Assembly resolutions, we can undertake important activities to improve the health of migrants, promote cross-sectoral partnerships and develop data-driven policies in ASEAN,” Ms. Park Mihyung affirmed.
Migrant health is one of ASEAN's health priorities under the ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda, specifically under the ASEAN Health Working Group 3 (AHC3) on strengthening health systems and access to health care.
The AHC3 programme of work aims to enhance the capacity and capability of health systems to improve services for migrants, including migrant workers, especially women and children.
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