Migration and public health: From public health safety to health promotion

A highly mobile world has raised considerable anxiety concerning the risk of spread of communicable diseases. The re-emergence of TB and especially in its drug resistant forms, the pandemic of HIV/AIDS and public alarm from new threats such as SARS and influenza underline the vulnerability of countries faced with immigration pressures. This presentation will summarise what is known about the health status of migrants in Europe. It will indicate the steps recently taken by the EU and by public health associations: the improvement in ‘Eurosurveillance' by the establishment by the EU of its Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in Stockholm and the launch at the end of 2007 of MEHO, a system for monitoring the health status of migrants and ethnic minorities within Europe. The latter was initiated by the European Association of Public Health. These developments will add to the knowledge gained by screening to allow Europe to plan better policies for migrant's health. Some countries are already moving from control-based approaches to one of more inclusion and of health promotion. The presentation will conclude by considering the role of public health in developing fairer health policies for migrants and ethnic minorities.