NEW DELHI: A recent article in 'The Lancet' revealed that political narratives relying on 'hate', amplified by the media, are making it tough to protect migration, posing a challenge to help refugees with health issues.
Noting that migration will remain one of the most significant issues of the 21st century, the article said that the safety, health, and well-being of migrants must be upheld.
The report also flagged the alarming rise of forced displacement due to conflict, violence, persecution, human rights violations, and events that seriously disturb public order.
In 2024, there were an estimated 304 million international migrants, it said.
Stressing that the global health community has a key role in advancing these arguments, the report, however, said a large part of the public in many countries is not swayed by these points.
“Many people remain sceptical of, or outrightly hostile towards, immigration,” it said, adding that if the health community cannot find a way to change these hostile narratives, then it must find a way to operate nevertheless.
“Political narratives that rely on hate and division, further fuelled by the media, are resulting in restrictive and securitised approaches to migration. This disconnect is the great challenge to making gains to protect and support refugee and migrant health,” the article titled 'The uncertain future of migrant and refugee health' said.
“Health is indisputably a non-negotiable human right for all. Under refugee law, governments are obligated to provide asylum for people fleeing violence and persecution. Migration demands compassionate, systemic responses, especially from high-income countries,” it added.
Noting that migrants often have worse health outcomes than host populations, the article said that they are frequently the 'most vulnerable and neglected people, and remain a pressing global health concern.'
“Moreover, rising political anti-migrant sentiment and economic upheaval are undermining the moral responsibility, compassion, and resources needed to address migrant health,” it added.
The article highlighted that migrants make a huge contribution to society in terms of economic prosperity, development, and community enrichment.
It said addressing migration and health is crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including universal health coverage, protecting and promoting the health of all populations, and effectively managing health emergencies.
“Global migration is an inescapable reality. Whether by choice or by force, 1 billion people (one in eight of the world population) are on the move today, driven by economic, political, demographic, environmental, and sociocultural forces,” it said.
The article also highlighted that global migration is an inescapable reality, whether by choice or force. By mid-2024, a record 122.6 million people were forcibly displaced.
“This number includes internally displaced people, refugees, asylum seekers, and other people in need of international protection,” it added.
The article noted that climate change is a driver of displacement and quoted the World Bank, which has predicted that climate change will force more than 216 million people across six continents to move within their countries by 2050.
Decades of technical progress have been made on the topic of migration and health across the UN system.
The adoption of World Assembly Resolutions in 2008 and 2017 on migrant and refugee health culminated in the first Global Action Plan (GAP) on promoting the health of refugees and migrants in 2019, including the first global monitoring framework.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) established its Health and Migration programme in 2020.
It also highlighted WHO's work, which it described as essential in framing migration as a determinant of health, strengthening inclusive governance, and supporting member states in developing migrant-sensitive health systems.
It said that there is still a massive demand for guidance and engagement from member states, as shown by the support for extending the GAP to 2030.
However, it said that WHO's (and the UN's) health and migration work is facing organisational restructuring and funding constraints.
“The loss or weakening of WHO's dedicated Health and Migration capacity would be a major blow to global health equity, particularly at a time of rising xenophobia, policy regressions, and increasing displacement,” it said.
Noting that WHO plays a unique role as a norm-setting body, with a mandate that explicitly includes the health of people on the move, it said that the world health body’s withdrawal would leave a gap in both technical guidance and moral leadership, especially for undocumented migrants, those in protracted displacement, and transit migrants who are overlooked by policies and services.
