We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
COVID-19 financing strategies for refugees and migrants in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
- Authors
Habersky, Elena; Damir, Aya
- Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating consequences on health care systems worldwide. While the world was slowly moving towards achieving health for all, the pandemic destroyed progress made over the past 25 years and exposed the vulnerability of health care systems and health insurance schemes as well as their lack of resilience. Heath care systems failed to respond in a timely and efficient manner, lives have been, and continue to be, lost and vulnerable populations, especially refugees and migrants, are more at risk than ever as many are left out of country vaccination programmes. Aims: The Eastern Mediterranean region hosts 13 million internally displaced persons and 12 million refugees as of 2018. Thus, adopting inclusive health financing mechanisms is crucial to addressing the crisis and protecting indigenous and displaced populations. Methods: By looking at regional best practices and the response of the United Nations, we outline possible financing tools for including refugees and migrants in health insurance schemes for COVID 19 and introduce novel solutions for addressing gaps in funding. Results: Among the suggested solutions are the inclusion of refugees and migrants in national health care systems, setting up community-based health insurance for migrant and refugee populations, as well as introducing a catastrophe bond financing scheme. Conclusions: Whi le COVID-19 is far from over, many countries in the EMR have included migrants in their COVID-19 vaccine rollout plans. While this is not the first instance of inclusion in some countries, many others are unable or do not prioritize migrants in their health systems, to the detriment of the entire country. This paper, therefore, tackles the possible health financing measures which curb or prevent migrants from accessing such systems and presents possible solutions to change the status quo.
- Subjects
MEDITERRANEAN Region; NOMADS; HEALTH of indigenous peoples; MEDICAL care costs; REFUGEES; HEALTH insurance; ENDOWMENTS; GOVERNMENT aid; INDIGENOUS peoples; COVID-19 pandemic
- Publication
Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 2021, Vol 27, Issue 12, p1229
- ISSN
1020-3397
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.26719/emhj.21.061