Fez – The World Health Organization (WHO) praised, on Tuesday in Fez, Morocco’s clear vision on the health of migrants and refugees.
‘Countries like Morocco, with a clear national vision on the health of migrants and refugees, deserve applause and support to ensure an efficient implementation,’ said WHO’s Representative in Morocco, Maryam Bigdeli, at the opening of an international conference on the health of refugee and migrant populations (November 29-30).
Bigdeli stressed that the priority given by Morocco to the right to health and the development of inclusive policies facilitates improving access for this vulnerable population.
The Fez meeting, a moment for collective reflection, is particularly timely for countries like Morocco that are committed to structural reforms of their health systems, she said, noting WHO’s readiness to support these countries in implementing practical and effective strategies to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all, including migrants and refugees.
In this respect
, she added that the WHO has a comprehensive plan for the health of migrants and refugees, as well as a regional plan, which serve as a framework for developing national strategies.
The official noted that migration is a complex reality, rooted in human history and influenced by numerous economic, political and environmental determinants, adding that the physical and mental health of refugees is a challenge both for the individual and for the health system in the host country.
She stressed the need to devise inclusive policies that take into account the specificities of each group, calling, in this context, for health services to be made accessible, health professionals to be trained in cultural diversity, and mental health to be integrated into care.
‘This is how multisectoriality becomes an effective way of integrating health into all policies, especially for the most vulnerable populations, such as migrants and refugees,’ Bigdeli said, noting that reflection on migrant and refugee health must cover the
six blocks of the healthcare system, namely financing, governance, service provision, the information system, pharmaceuticals and human resources.
Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse