The influence of the multilateral agreement on migrant health

A child receive vaccination upon arrival at Imvepi reception center in Northern Uganda

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Lucas Gheller Machado, a 18 years old and he courses the second year of medicine. He is affiliated to the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

The incessant search for a higher level in the scale of world recognition, whether by showing sovereignty, economic influence or social development indices, gives some countries a common characteristic: exacerbated egocentricity. This is reflected intensely in the current context of migration, where cities, states and nations prevent the entry of individuals, claiming that they represent social, biological and economic risk to the place.

According to data from the United Nations migration agency, by the end of 2018 there were 3,323 people dead or missing on migratory routes around the world. This shows that the growth trend of these events, perhaps exponentially, is even greater. And that is how the current migratory crisis, where 258 million people are displaced or are migrants, is installed, reflecting a context of often unhealthy and inhumane conditions, that culminate in damages to the health of this emerging group.

Given this scene, UN member states, in consensus with the UN General Assembly, have created an international document called the Global Compact for Safe, Ordained and Regular Migration. Such an agreement is based on the idea of better dealing with migration and achieving greater effectiveness in resolving current challenges, both by strengthening the rights of migrants and by contributing to sustainable development (UN 2018).

Bringing this to my reality and without any political-partisan connotation, it is interesting to note that Brazil withdrew from the agreement, impacting the lives of countless people, as the increasing influx of migrants into the national territory was stopped. In any case, migrants who are already in the Brazilian territory should be assisted in a fairer way, which unfortunately is not observed. This is precisely why certain diseases can penetrate Brazilian reality again, such as measles, while other diseases can affect migrants.

The genetic load of different individuals, both from foreigners to Brazilians, and from Brazilians from different states or regions varies immensely, as well as life habits and socioeconomic conditions, reflecting various types of adaptation to aggressive stimulus. Accordingly, there is an accentuation of social reflexions that affect health in a broad spectrum, both in the short term and in the long term. For exemplification purposes, the following stand out: accidental injuries, cardiovascular diseases, unplanned pregnancy, violence and sexually transmitted diseases(STDs).

In order to cover the biopsychosocial being, the municipal, state and national leaderships, in alliance with society, should continue to promote the access to the SUS, through the Family Health Strategy and the Basic Health Units, to prevent, treat and control possible epidemiological outbreaks arising from migratory interaction. In addition, analyzes should be carried out on the vaccination of migrants, the systems that receive them, the way of life, illness and the occurrences of this disease in the migratory process, comprehending the health-disease process in an integral way.

Only in this way it will be possible to preserve the health of migrants and provide decent living conditions, as provided in their rights.

References

BOGUS, L.; FABIANO, M. L. O Brasil como destino das migrações internacionais recentes: novas relações, possibilidades e desafios. Ponto & Vírgula, São Paulo, n. 18, p. 126-145, 2015.

GRANADA, D. et al. Discutir saúde e imigração no contexto atual de intensa mobilidade humana. Interface: Comunicação, Saúde, Educação, Botucatu, v. 21, n. 61, p. 285-296, 2017.

MALKKI, L. Speechless emissaries: refugees, humanitarianism, and dehistoricization. Cultural Anthropology, Arlington, v. 11, p. 377-404, ago. 1996.

WIMMER, A.; SCHILLER, N. G. Methodological nationalism and beyond: nation-state building, migration and the social sciences. Global Networks, Hoboken, v. 2, n. 4, p. 301-334, 2002.

“Assembleia Geral da ONU adota oficialmente Pacto Global para a Migração”. Disponível em: https://nacoesunidas.org/assembleia-geral-da-onu-adota-oficialmente-pacto-global-para-a-migracao/, dez. 2018.

“Entenda o que é o Pacto Mundial para Migração”. Disponível em: https://g1.globo.com/mundo/noticia/2018/12/11/entenda-o-que-e-o-pacto-mundial-para-migracao.ghtml, dez. 2018.

“Sarampo volta ao Brasil, através de refugiados e imigrantes da Venezuela”. Disponível em: https://observador.pt/2018/03/28/sarampo-volta-ao-brasil-atraves-de-refugiados-e-imigrantes-da-venezuela/, mar. 2018.

“Imigração, refúgio e saúde: perspectivas de análise sociocultural”, de Denise Martin. Disponível em: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/sausoc/v27n1/1984-0470-sausoc-27-01-26.pdf, mar. 2018.

About the author

Lucas Gheller Machado is 18 years old and he courses the second year of medicine.
Currently, he is a member and analyst of the Nucleus of Scientific Research (NUPEC) by
IFMSA Brazil UniCesumar, member of the Academic League of Intensive Medicine of
Maringá (LAMIM) and member of the Academic League of Forensic Medical Sciences
of Maringá (LAMFMA). In addition, he participates constantly in social actions by
Humanizart, aimed at assisting vulnerable populations, and collaborating with
humanization in streets and hospitals. His objective is to combine graduation with
scientific and artistic development, constituting a formation of solid and essential
pillars.