Description

The instability in Africa and in the Middle East has triggered an unprecedented migratory flow from those parts of the world. Recent national and international border management measures are affecting migration patterns and posing different challenges to the health systems response to large influxes of refugees and migrants for World Health Organization (WHO) European Member States. Countries on the ‘West Balkan migration route’ and Greece in particular, have had to respond to massive influxes of transiting migrants in the last years, but they are now faced with populations staying in the country for longer periods, including almost 50,000 only in Greece. Simultaneously, Turkey is hosting approximately 2.7 million refugees. Refugees and migrants are a heterogeneous group and health care systems must be prepared to respond to their diverse needs.

The first background paper explaining current migration statistics is an analysis from the BBC World Service. The second paper by the European Parliamentary Research Service outlines issues affecting public health resulting from the increased migratory population. The third paper is a study by Herbinger and colleagues attempting to assess the spectrum of imported diseases likely to accompany both travelers and migrants.

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

Distinguish between the terms emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.
What types of endemic diseases might come from the two areas of the world contributing to the current migration pattern?
What types of public health interventions might such a group need in order to address the issues of emerging and re-emerging disease?