Accra – On 16 August 2022, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Ghana under the Migration Health Division officially opened its new Migration Health Assessment Centre (MHAC) in Accra. The new MHAC will serve over 20 countries in West and Central Africa by providing travel health assistance for refugees and immigrant visa applicants for selected countries, as well as technical supervision to health assessment programs in the region.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) as the United Nations Migration Agency, within its Migration Health Division (MHD), delivers and promotes comprehensive, preventive and curative health programmes which are beneficial, accessible, and equitable for migrants and mobile populations. Migration is a global phenomenon with close to 272 million international migrants (UNDESA, 2019) and 740 million internal migrants on the move (IOM, 2015), and must be recognized as a social determinant of health as mobility not only impacts an individual’s physical vulnerability, but also mental and social well-being.

Giving an overview of MHAC at the opening event, The Regional Health Assessment Programme Coordinator, Dr. Marwan Naoum said “I am glad that what we are witnessing here today falls under the third priority of IOM’s global approach to migration and health; migrant sensitive health systems, which is guided by the World Health Assembly Resolution. IOM Ghana is dedicated to having a health service delivery and capacity-building system which delivers, facilitates and promotes equitable access to migrant-friendly and comprehensive health care services. And I think they deserve an applaud!”

Since 2007, IOM Ghana’s MHD has been assisting migrants by conducting and coordinating health assessments and travel assistance within West and Central Africa. In 2009, the Center became known as the Migration Health Assessment Centre (MHAC) from what was previously known as the UK-TB Accra. MHD also provides medical services and coordinates migration health activities including health assessments, screenings, DNA sample collections, support to medical cases and medical escort assistance as required, for 23 countries in West and Central Africa.

Health assessments and medical missions are conducted for the resettlement of refugees traveling under the hospices of IOM from West and Central Africa. The new building features a new laboratory, radiology unit, well equipped consulting rooms for doctors and nurses, a vaccination unit, data capturing and processing room, conference room and open waiting areas for clients which will improve the quality of services provided to migrants.

Welcoming participants to the event, IOM Ghana Chief of Mission, Ms. Abibatou Wane said “In November 2021, a huge step was taken to move MHAC from the previous location. I want to use this opportunity to applaud the Medical Health Department for overachieving their target for health assessments only halfway through the year. This could not have been possible without our hardworking staff and the beautiful edifice we have here.”

Migrants and mobile populations face many obstacles in accessing essential health care services due to several factors including irregular immigration status, language barriers and a lack of migrant-inclusive health policies and inaccessibility of services. Such disparities impact the well-being of migrants and host communities and undermine the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 3, including preventing, treating and eliminating HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and human influenza.

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For more information, please contact Dr. Samuel Ahadi Baghuma, Chief Migration Health Officer at IOM Ghana, at sbaghuma@iom.int , Tel: +233 30 274 2930.