IOM committed to ensuring migrants are included in Sustainable Development Goals target

On Universal Health Coverage Day the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other global partners are promoting efforts to ensure Universal Health Coverage (UHC) indeed becomes a reality.

The theme of the day, ‘Unite for Universal Health Coverage: Now is the time for collective action,’ provides an opportunity for partners around the globe to engage in multi-sectoral dialogue and advocacy efforts each works towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); the actions outlined in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM); and the Global Action Plan to Promote the Health of Refugees and Migrants.

Target 3.8 of the SDGs calls on the global community to “achieve universal health coverage (UHC), including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health care services, and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all”; the GCM presents a significant opportunity to promote inter-sectoral partnerships and policies that enable migrants to be included in the global health discourse, in the spirit of leaving no one behind.

IOM, in collaboration with member states, is promoting UHC through advocacy, research, policy and implementation of projects. Support was provided to the Government of Chile to develop the Public Health Policy for International Migrants in Chile; launched in October 2017, the policy is the first of its kind for Latin America and aims to respond to the health needs of international migrants in Chile in a comprehensive way, thus contributing to UHC. The policy ensures the right to health for all persons including citizens and foreign nationals; promotes a system that is migrant-sensitive; and addresses the reduction in barriers to health service access.

Through these types of projects, IOM is promoting evidence-based and inclusive policies and programmes to ensure UHC does not leave outmigrants, and promotes “health for all”, in alignment with the World Health Assembly (WHA).

The realization of universal health coverage for migrants will require innovative policies and sustainable financial mechanisms. IOM will continue to work with partners to champion initiatives that promote access to high-quality health services for migrants to make UHC a reality.

Original source: IOM
Published on 12 December 2018