EGYPT, LIBYA, SUDAN, TUNISIA ENHANCE MIGRANT HEALTH COLLABORATION

Four African nations unite to improve migrant health through cross-border cooperation, focusing on data sharing and emergency response.

Migrant health Cross-border collaboration Who emro

Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Tunisia, WHO and IOM officials
Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Tunisia, WHO and IOM officials

Egypt, Libya, Sudan, and Tunisia have launched a pioneering initiative to strengthen cross-border collaboration on migrant health, as announced by the World Health Organization’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (WHO EMRO) recently. The program, supported by WHO and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), aims to address the unique health challenges faced by migrant populations in these countries amid ongoing regional crises.

The initiative focuses on harmonizing data collection, improving access to primary healthcare, and enhancing emergency preparedness for migrants. A key component is the development of a regional framework for sharing health data, ensuring timely responses to outbreaks and other health emergencies. This builds on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, which underscored the need for coordinated cross-border health strategies. The countries will also integrate migrant health into national systems, aligning with the WHO’s Global Action Plan on refugee and migrant health (2019–2023).

The collaboration addresses the needs of millions displaced by conflict, climate change, and economic challenges, particularly in Sudan and Libya, where over 140 million people require humanitarian assistance due to ongoing emergencies like cholera outbreaks and floods. Tunisia and Egypt, key transit and host countries, aim to strengthen community-based health services, with a focus on mental health and infectious disease control.

Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO EMRO Regional Director, emphasized the importance of inclusive health systems, stating, “This partnership ensures no one is left behind.” The initiative, discussed at a recent Cairo workshop, sets a model for regional cooperation, with plans to expand to other Eastern Mediterranean countries.

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