26 January 2024, Cairo, Egypt -  Regional Director Othman Belbeisi has underlined the importance of the inclusion of migrants into health systems and national plans.  Speaking at a major regional meeting of United Nations agencies in Cairo last week, Mr Belbeisi noted that the MENA region hosts more than 40 million migrants and refugees, the majority of whom are from the region.

"As such, we can work with our government partners to enhance capacities to monitor population movements for emergency and health-related purposes through our programmes", he told the UN Regional Health Alliance, a platform that brings together 18 multilateral, health, development and humanitarian agencies in the Eastern Mediterranean region under the coordination of the World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (WHO EMRO).

“As members of the United Nations, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility, working towards ‘One UN’ to tackle complex health challenges. We are called to take bold and united action to ensure that health remains at the centre of our collective efforts.” 

Mr Belbeisi assured members of the Alliance of IOM’s full support of its 2025 Joint Plan, which acknowledges the need for the integration of health services for migrants and refugees. 

“The health of migrants needs a multi-sectoral approach, and IOM can support this by bringing the migration agenda onto relevant platforms,” he noted. “We fully support investing in the health workforce WHO flagship initiative as a key focus area for our region, aligned with IOM’s strategic plan – whether it is about saving lives, finding durable solutions to displacement, or facilitating regular pathways.”  

 “This includes but is not limited to engaging with the health workforce diaspora, leveraging on existing successful IOM and WHO initiatives already in Place in Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan, and at the regional level.

“We are also ready to collaborate on initiatives to facilitate the return of qualified national health personnel in post-conflict settings when conditions allow and to foster skills mobility partnerships in the health sector,” Mr Belbeisi concluded.