Missing: Where Are the Migrants in Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plans?

Influenza pandemics are perennial global health security threats, with novel and seasonal influenza affecting a large proportion of the world’s population, causing enormous economic and social destruction. Novel viruses such as influenza A(H7N9) continue to emerge, posing zoonotic and potential pandemic threats. Many countries have developed pandemic influenza preparedness plans (PIPPs) aimed at guiding actions and investments to respond to such outbreak events. Migrant and mobile population groups—such as migrant workers, cross-border frontier workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and other non-citizen categories residing within national boundaries—may be disproportionately affected in the event of health emergencies, with irregular/undocumented migrants experiencing even greater vulnerabilities. Because of a combination of political, sociocultural, economic, and legal barriers, many migrants have limited access to and awareness of health and welfare services, as well as their legal rights. The conditions in which migrants travel, live, and work often carry exceptional risks to their physical and mental well-being. Even if certain migrant groups have access to health services, they tend to avoid them due to fear of deportation, xenophobic and discriminatory attitudes within society, and other linguistic, cultural, and economic barriers. Evidence indicates that social stigmatization and anxieties generated by restrictive immigration policies hinder undocumented immigrants’ access to health rights and minimizes immigrants’ sense of entitlement to such rights

Integrated classification and assessment of lakes in Wales: Phase II

This report presents preliminary data from the second phase of the study on integrated classification and assessment of lakes in Wales. The classification and assessment project is described in detail by Allott et al. (1994). Ten lakes, listed on the following page are in the process of assessment. The report includes data on water chemistry and physical variables, aquatic macrophyte distribution maps, and species lists of aquatic macrophytes, epilithlic diatoms, open water zooplankton and littoral macroinvertebrates. Methodologies follow those given by Allott et al. (1994). A second report in July 1995 will incorporate further site specific information, including full site descriptions, sampling site information, and additional chemistry, littoral cladoceran and surface sediment diatom data. Further development of classification techniques will require a minimum of thirty lake integrated data sets

Management of health information of nepalese labour migrants

Abstract Introduction The monitoring and improvement of the health of labour migrants (LMs) require sufficient health data to be recorded and managed. In this context, this study was conducted to explore the management of health information of Nepalese labour migrants (NLMs). Methods This is an explorative qualitative study. Stakeholders involved directly or indirectly in maintaining the health profile of NLMs were first mapped, physically visited, and any documents or information were collected. Then, sixteen key informant interviews were conducted among these stakeholders related to labour migrants’ health information management and challenges. A checklist extracted information from the interviews, and a thematic analysis was carried out to summarize the challenges. Results Government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and government approved private medical centers are involved in generating and maintaining the health data of NLMs. The Foreign Employment Board (FEB) records deaths and disabilities of NLMs while at work abroad and these health records are also maintained in an online portal called Foreign Employment Information Management System (FEIMS) under the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE). Health assessment of NLMs is a mandatory procedure before departure, which is done through the government-approved pre-departure private medical assessment centers. The health records from these assessment centers are first recorded in paper-based form and then entered into an online electronic form to be stored by the DoFE. The filled-up paper forms are sent to District Health Offices, which further report the data to the Department of Health Services (DoHS), Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) and associated governmental infectious diseases centers. However, there is no formal health assessment of NLMs upon arrival to Nepal. Key informants raised various issues and concerns in maintaining health records of NLMs, which were grouped into three themes: lack of interest to develop a unified online system; need of competent human resources and equipment; and developing a set of health indicators for migrant health assessment. Conclusion The FEB and government-approved private assessment centers are the main stakeholders in keeping the health records of outgoing NLMs. The current migrant health record keeping procedure in Nepal is fragmented. The national Health Information Management Systems does not effectively capture and categorize the health record of NLMs. There is a need to effectively link national health information system with premigration health assessment centers; and potentially develop a migrant health information management system by systematically keeping health records electronically with relevant health indicators on departing and arriving NLMs

Challenges in managing dryland rivers crossing political boundaries: lessons from Cooper Creek and the Paroo River, Central Australia

Kingsford, Richard T.; Boulton, Andrew J.; Puckridge, Jim T