Health and Migration - IOM Publications - International Organization ...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Migration is a fact of modern life, and migrants play an
essential role in today’s global economy. As migration flows
around the world increase, the health of mobile populations and
the societies with which they are affiliated is becoming a major
public concern. Yet, to date there has only been limited
recognition of the interdependence between the two in either the
migration or the public health policy domains. As migrants
connect health environments, migrant health has become a
critical element of migration policy and needs to be integrated
into migration management strategies, for the benefit of
individuals and societies alike.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) organized
a Seminar on Health and Migration in Geneva from 9 to 11 June
2004, as an inter-session workshop of the IOM Council
International Dialogue on Migration, with the co-sponsorship of
the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This Seminar brought
together health and migration officials to exchange views on
health and migration policy concerns, with particular focus on
the public health implications of increasingly mobile populations.
It provided a forum for policy makers, practitioners and other
stakeholders from governments, intergovernmental agencies and
non-governmental organizations to exchange perspectives and
experiences and to engage in informal dialogue.
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