Migration and Health

The International Organization for Migration in the Russian Federation supports a variety of activities related the the health and well being of migrants and communities, including the programs and activities outlined below.

Activities

Immigration Health Assessment

Immigration health assessment is carried out on behalf of the governments of the immigration countries. It is the last part of the immigration application process. The health assessment activities follow the national legislation of the receiving countries. This is usually intended to guard against the introduction of communicable diseases and certain health disorders in order to protect the public health or avoid a burden on the health care system of the receiving country and are highly cost effective as compared to treatment and tracing upon arrival. For instance, the treatment for tuberculosis in Russia and some CIS countries is free of charge for the citizens of these countries.

Migration Health Assessment is a complex process. It includes physical examination, tests, investigations, work with medical histories, treatment, counseling, further recommendations, prophylactic measures such as vaccinations, examination for TB, etc.

The Immigration health assessment is performed by Medical Health Practitioners (MHPs) who are designated by the health authorities of migrant receiving countries.

Transportation of Migrants Abroad

IOM arranges the transportation of migrants abroad. In order to satisfy its commitment to carriers and other passengers on commercial aircraft, the following services are carried by IOM MHS in Moscow:

Treatment prior to departure
It is performed for patients with unstable health condition normally two weeks prior to departure and aimed at making the patients to be fit for travel.

Pre-embarkation checks
The procedure is performed to identify passengers who may not be fit to fly.

Medical Escort
Medical escorts are provided for migrants who need assistance and care en route. MHP identifies such people during medical examination and during pre-embarkation check.

Priority Medical Screening Programme (PMS)

At the request of UNHCR IOM MHD provides medical screening for the refugees with various medical conditions, for whom medical care is not available locally and who will medically benefit from resettlement to countries where such care will be provided. MHD provides escort for these patients to the receiving country.

Other Activities

Surveillance and evaluation of the laboratory services with respect to IOM migration health assessment programs in countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia is performed. Quality control and quality assessment visits to laboratories used by IOM for health assessment specifically regarding the transmissible diseases of TB, HIV and syphilis are carried out regularly.

Regular consultations on perspectives of possible cooperation with most important organizations involved with TB/HIV/STI issues are held.

Technical support on HIV/TB international projects is being fulfilled.

Field Missions and Circuit Rides

Whenever there is a request from the receiving countries, IOM MHPs undertake trips to those locations, where there is no IOM presence or there is no Medical Unit in the structure of the local mission.

For example in the past IOM Moscow Unit performed resettlement program for Meskhetian Turks from Krasnodar to USA. The big ethnic group was moved out almost completely.

IOM Moscow paid much attention to Afghani refugees living on the territory of Russia. A highly unprotected category of population, since they are persecuted, live with no documents in poor conditions. Moscow Medical Unit performed assessment of these persons for resettlement to various countries.

IOM Moscow MHPs have also performed assessments all over the world in Africa, South East Asia, Europe, Australia and Oceania.