Presentation of the Dossier “Medicina e migrazione” (Medicine and migration) published on the review "Africa e Mediterraneo" (Africa and Mediterranean Area)

Rome, 13 May 2009
NIHMP Conference Hall

On 13 May 2009 NIHMP and the Lai-momo cooperative Association presented the Dossier Medicina e migrazione published on the review Africa e Mediterraneo.

There are some Italian reviews which are considered as working tools. Africa e Mediterraneo is one of them owing to its sections on economics, history, culture and society of African countries, used since 1995 by social, health and media workers, public administration employees, etc. dealing with migration in Italy.

The special issue presented in Rome, Medicina e migrazione, collects the experiences and the testimonies of those who are daily committed with medical assistance to migrants in Italy. The objective of the Dossier is to offer a ground for discussion about suitable solutions fit to meet the needs of a multicultural society characterized by strong inequalities, especially in the health care assistance of disadvantaged population groups.

The articles of the review deal with a wide series of topics: analysis of the data about social inequalities; the impact of culture on the cognitive structure of illness; medical anthropology; ethnopsychiatry; international experiences in providing medical services.

NIHMP was a really suitable location for the presentation of the Dossier for its outstanding role in Italian health care field; for its collaboration with the National Health System, EU members and WHO offices; for its commitment in Ethiopia (with IISMAS non-profit Association organization) for the treatment, assistance and training in the Italian Dermatological Centre, one of the 37 members of the Alliance of the Italian Hospitals Worldwide.

The fears originating from migration and the perception of this phenomenon as a social security problem, considering the foreigners as different people, affected by emergent and re-emergent diseases, are the themes of the article Immigrazione e povertà: una risorsa per il Nord del Pianeta, by Prof. Aldo Morrone, where from a constructive point of view the potential resources of migrants are pointed out.

Among the numerous articles of the Dossier it is worth recording La salute delle donne migranti which deals with the main aspects related to the treatment and health care of migrant women such as gestation, birth, abortion and psychological problems, always taking into account and respecting the different cultural backgrounds.

The obstacles that poor and marginalized patients, women and minors meet must be overcome and this is possible by talking about disadvantaged people, by communicating with them and by facilitating their access to health services.