Experts: Health needs of migrants must be addressed

Migrants continue to face limited access to health and social services, exploitative employment and fear of persecutions by authorities. Migration for sex work is one of many factors increasing the vulnerability of female sex workers. It implies loss of family support, difficulties accessing services and increased stigma and discrimination.

These were the observations of Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/Aids (PANCAP) director Dereck Springer at the regional forum on Migrants and Mobile Populations Rights and Health held yesterday at the ANR Robinson Meeting Room, Tower D, International Waterfront Complex, Port of Spain. Springer added that discrimination against foreign sex workers was considered worse than that experienced by sex workers living with HIV. He said migrant and undocumented sex workers, such as Hispanic sex workers in TT, identified immigration status and language as barriers to accessing HIV services. Aurora Ramkissoon of the United Nations Family Planning Association (UNFPA), speaking on behalf of UNAIDS advisor Dawn Foderingham said despite contributions made by migrants, they were not often recognised.

“Despite the contribution that migrants make to societies they are not always cast in a favourable light,” Ramkissoon said.

“For centuries we have been shaped by the forces of migration and know opportunities and challenges. But despite this history, the Caribbean has not adequately addressed the issue of how migrants are afforded basic human rights including access to health care.”

She said while some felt that by protecting the health of migrants naturally protected the health of the host population, others raised concerns about the raised costs to the host country.

“What is too often missing in this discussion is the human aspect. The fundamental understanding is that migrants are human beings entitled to the same human rights as we all are entitled to.”.

Ramkissoon said that understanding was reinforced by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)which called for the empowerment of all groups including refugees.

She said migrant populations were prone to complex obstacles that made them more vulnerable to HIV including limited access to health services and information, and exposure to situations that would increase high-risk sexual behaviour.

Ramkissoon said to meet the universal health coverage target set by the SDGs, it was critical that the rights of migrants to access health care services, including HIV services, be urgently addressed.