Tuberculosis Elimination Among Migrants In The Greater Mekong | IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Facts & Figures

1.5 million

5 countries

2nd deadliest

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the world’s most pressing health challenges, with nearly 1.5 million deaths occurring each year. It is estimated that approximately one third of new cases are missed by the health system and occur in populations which are most vulnerable to TB, including migrants, internally displaced persons (IDP), refugees, and other vulnerable populations. This can be due to poor nutrition status, poor living and working conditions, low education and awareness and sub-standard access to healthcare.

Cross-border mobility in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) is highly dynamic, with migration patterns and levels fluctuating in the border towns of the economic corridors. Migrants in the GMS are a key high-risk group facing serious difficulties in accessing health care as a result of their migrant status. Migrants, especially the undocumented, may fear that attending clinics, or simply travelling to a health facility could bring them to the attention of the authorities, and create a risk of being deported. Migrants and mobile populations are a high-risk group especially vulnerable to TB, and It is increasingly well documented and understood that the absence of targeted TB prevention and control strategies for such groups creates significant barriers in reaching TB elimination targets.

Tuberculosis Elimination Among Migrants (TEAM2)

With funding from the Global Fund to Fight, AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) with IOM’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific acting as the Principal Recipient (PR), the 3-year ‘’TEAM2’’ project is a multicountry TB grant, spanning the 5 GMS countries (Thailand, Viet Nam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos People’s Democratic Republic) with the overall aim of reducing the burden of TB among the migrant populations of the GMS sub-Region – particularly aiming at the missing cases - and thereby reducing TB transmission, incidence and mortality among each of the GMS countries.

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Find more information about the TEAM2 project, including key IEC, guidelines and policy resources relating to TB in the region, alongside project targets and results

About TEAM2

Resources

Results

Why Consider Migration in Health and TB Programming in the GMS?

Diseases do not respect borders. In the fight for global health, we cannot leave anyone behind. Migrants and mobile populations are often a ‘’forgotten group’’ and struggle to access services, or are not considered in preparedness and response plans.
Including migrants in health systems improves health outcomes. Healthy migrants can substantially contribute towards the social and economic development of their home communities and host societies. Health is also a human right.
Healthy migrants promote development. Health is both an outcome and requirement for sustainable development. Migrants often harbor extensive cultural, social and financial capital and can contribute significantly to the development of origin and host countries.
Migration itself under normal circumstances is not a risk to health. Even though conditions surrounding the migration process can increase vulnerability to ill-health, risk factors are often linked to the legal status of migrants, which determines the level of access to health and social services.