INMP hosted the 5th WHO CC on Migration and Health networking meeting
Rome – On 24 e 25 November 2022 the Italian WHO Collaborating Centre (WHO CC) on Health and Migration Evidence and Capacity Building has hosted at the INMP Headquarters of Rome the 5th WHO Collaborating Centres on Migration and Health networking meeting, promoted by the WHO Regional Office for Europe.
The meeting was aimed to a) present the WHO Europe ongoing and planned work in providing country-focused support on Health and Migration as well as the incoming WHO Global Research Agenda, promoted by the Migration and Health Programme of the WHO Headquarters; b) provide an overview of the current activities of the three WHO CCs on Health and Migration and academic partners in sustaining the WHO Migration and Health Programme at regional and global level; c) identify existing gaps in evidence and develop new synergies and ideas for future partnerships within the migration and health network; d) find out more about the INMP’s transdisciplinary and transcultural model of care for migrants and refugees and its whole-of-government approach, that includes the direct provision of low threshold access health services, translational research, CME for personnel and technical and policy guidance to national and international institutions and organizations.
Starting point to map possible joint next steps among the network were the 5 pillars of action (ensure refugees and migrants benefit from UHC; implement inclusive health emergency policies and actions; develop inclusive environments that promote social inclusion, health and well-being; strengthen migration health governance and evidence and data-driven policy-making; explore innovative ways of working and develop partnerships as an enabling tool ensuring universal health care for migrants and refugees; implementing policies to prevent and mitigate natural disasters and health emergencies; developing inclusive settings and environments that promote social inclusion, health and well-being; strengthening migration health governance and evidence-based policies; explore innovative ways of working and partnerships) identified in the outcome statement of the 2022 WHO High-level Meeting on Health and Migration of Istanbul and the first WHO Global research agenda on health and migration, to be launched soon.
The meeting was kicked off by the INMP Health Director and co-director of the WHO CC on Health and Migration Evidence and Capacity Building Gianfranco Costanzo, the Director of the Country Support and Emergencies Division of the WHO Regional Office for Europe Gundo Aurel Weiler, and the Director of the WHO Migration and Health Programme Santino Severoni.
Day 2 of the meeting was entirely devoted to learning more from the INMP’s transdisciplinary and transcultural model of care through INMP staff lectures and an on-site visit to INMP outpatient department and the research Lab.
The outpatient services offered and the low-threshold access to care, the approach and the activities of the INMP mental health unit, the role of the transcultural mediation and the medical anthropology, the epidemiological and the translational research in the Institute, the training activities promoted and carried out over the years and the strong inter-professional and multidisciplinary team work were some of the topics explored by the staff of the Institute.
The meeting was attended by 17 representatives from the WHO Headquarters, European, African and Eastern Mediterranean Regional Offices, and from Collaborating Centers and Universities from 8 different countries. In addition, the meeting was joined by the 7 INMP staff of the WHO CC on Health and Migration Evidence and Capacity Building.
The closing of the event was handled by Kristina Mauer Stender - Team Lead of the Country Support and Emergencies Division of the WHO European Regional Office, who has further underlined as the three WHO Collaborating Centres, as well as key academic institutions, are vital in supporting the work of the WHO Migration and Health Programme, playing a crucial role in both research and policy implementation, putting research and evidence on how to improve the health of refugees and migrants - across the WHO European Region and beyond - into action.