International Conference in Fez: Health of Refugees and Migrants
Miscellaneous announcements
Present at the international conference are more than 150 people representing the ministries of health, IOM, WHO and UNHCR from Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Iraq as well as researchers, academics and representatives of civil society from Canada, Spain and the United Kingdom.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are jointly organizing with the Euromed University of Fez (UEMF), the 29th and October 30, 2024, an international conference dedicated to the health of refugee and migrant populations.
This international meeting, which the UEMF hosts on its premises, brings together key players at the national, regional and international levels, to address the health challenges facing these populations as well as best practices to meet their health needs. . “As a university committed to societal issues, it is our duty to actively contribute to the search for solutions to guarantee equitable access to health care for all, including migrant and refugee populations, often among the most vulnerable. », noted Professor Chakib Nejjari, vice-president of the UEMF in charge of the Health cluster.
“Guaranteeing access to health care for migrant and refugee populations is essential to strengthening health equity” declared on this occasion Ms. Maryam Bigdeli, WHO Representative in Morocco, who also recalled that “ Universal health coverage is not only a goal, it is a necessity to eliminate barriers to access to care and promote the well-being of all. By ensuring accessible and inclusive health services, we contribute to the reduction of inequalities and the sustainable development of societies.”
Among the objectives of this conference is the presentation of good practices adopted in the MENA region to improve the health of migrants and refugees. It will also discuss the central role of universities in the development of policies and programs based on scientific data. The international conference in Fez therefore looks at the progress made in the field of the health of refugees and migrants within the framework of these reforms and Morocco's international commitments in this area.
“Removing barriers to access to health care for refugees and migrants is a public health imperative that guarantees the right to health. » recalled the UNHCR Representative in Morocco, Mr. François Reybet-Degat. “In addition, healthy migrants and refugees can contribute effectively to the development of their host society as well as their origin,” he continues.
Recommendations aimed at improving access to care for migrants and refugees throughout their migratory journeys will be identified during these two days. Laura Palatini, IOM Head of Mission in Morocco, specifies to this effect that: “digitizing the medical records of refugee and migrant patients and strengthening South-South cooperation constitute promising avenues of action for the continuity of care. In this regard, this conference constitutes a major opportunity to initiate coordinated action between countries of origin, transit and destination.”
This international conference is organized as part of the regional project “Promoting the health and protection of migrant populations in vulnerable situations in Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Yemen”, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.
