International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume 15, Issue 6, 2018

Time to rethink refugee and migrant health in europe: Moving from emergency response to integrated and individualized health care provision for migrants and refugees (Note) (Open Access)

Puchner K. , Karamagioli E.* , Pikouli A. , Tsiamis C. , Kalogeropoulos A. , Kakalou E. , Pavlidou E. , Pikoulis E.
  • a International Medicine—Health Crisis Management, Medical School, NKUA, Dilou1 and M. Asias, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • b International Medicine—Health Crisis Management, Medical School, NKUA, Dilou1 and M. Asias, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • c International Medicine—Health Crisis Management, Medical School, NKUA, Dilou1 and M. Asias, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • d International Medicine—Health Crisis Management, Medical School, NKUA, Dilou1 and M. Asias, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • e International Medicine—Health Crisis Management, Medical School, NKUA, Dilou1 and M. Asias, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • f International Medicine—Health Crisis Management, Medical School, NKUA, Dilou1 and M. Asias, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • g International Medicine—Health Crisis Management, Medical School, NKUA, Dilou1 and M. Asias, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • h International Medicine—Health Crisis Management, Medical School, NKUA, Dilou1 and M. Asias, Athens, 11527, Greece

Abstract

In the last three years, the European Union (EU) is being confronted with the most significant influx of migrants and refugees since World War II. Although the dimensions of this influx—taking the global scale into account—might be regarded as modest, the institutional response to that phenomenon so far has been suboptimal, including the health sector. While inherent challenges of refugee and migrant (R&M) health are well established, it seems that the EU health response oversees, to a large extend, these aspects. A whole range of emergency-driven health measures have been implemented throughout Europe, yet they are failing to address adequately the changing health needs and specific vulnerabilities of the target population. With the gradual containment of the migratory and refugee waves, three years after the outbreak of the so-called ‘refugee crisis’, we are, more than ever, in need of a sustainable and comprehensive health approach that is aimed at the integration of all of migrants and refugees—that is, both the new and old population groups that are already residing in Europe—in the respective national health systems. © 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Author Keywords

Refugee and migrant (R&M) health healthcare European Union (EU) Refugee crisis

Index Keywords

Needs Assessment emergency refugee Europe human Refugees war Note procedures Humans migrant Emigrants and Immigrants European Union health care organization and management Comprehensive Health Care Emergencies Delivery of Health Care, Integrated integrated health care system Health Services Accessibility public health health care delivery
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85047750537&doi=10.3390%2fijerph15061100&partnerID=40&md5=516c957f01db3aebc75f5f14cd3093a5
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15061100
ISSN: 16617827
Cited by: 10
Original Language: English