STAKEHOLDERS of the Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) have agreed on a holistic approach to providing services for migrants through an inter-sectoral strategy.

The agreement comes following a regional meeting to provide guidance on the implementation of the Regional Framework on Migrant Health and Rights, which concluded on Thursday in Trinidad and Tobago.

According to a release from PANCAP, the meeting was aimed at facilitating input from regional stakeholders for finalising a guidance document on how to implement the Framework on Migrant Health and Rights within their country’s context.
There, participants emphasised that the health priorities of each territory must guide the implementation of the Migrant Framework at the country level, as well as all policies governing access to migrants’ health.

Participants also agreed on the implementation of the Framework on Migrant Health and Rights at the country level in the interest of protecting and safeguarding public health throughout the Region.

Those present included Port Health Medical Officers, Representatives of Ministries of National Security and Border Affairs, Legal Officers and Protection Officers, International Development partners, Permanent Secretaries, Ministries of Health, Chief Medical Officers, National AIDS Programme Managers, Immigration Officers, Civil society partners that work with key populations, Youth Leaders, Private Sector, Academia, and the International Organisation for Migration.

They hailed from Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, The Bahamas and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

“These experiences illustrated the need for the implementation of the Framework to ensure consistent access to health by migrants,” the release said, adding:
“There was also a broad agreement on the need to implement the framework at the country level from a human rights perspective.”

Another call of the participants was for research to be conducted into the financial and human resource capacity essential to provide holistic health services for migrants, and for countries to research the requirements for a minimum package of services for migrants. Participants also recommended research into sourcing a financial mechanism to mobilise funding for access to healthcare by migrants, while building strategic partnerships within the public health system.

Creating strategic alliances with social services to offer comprehensive care for migrants and calls for an education, training and sensitisation programme for immigration and border patrol officers were also desires expressed.

At the meeting, Director of PANCAP, Dereck Springer, committed to continuing high-level engagements with policymakers, including ministers of health and finance, and the CARICOM Secretariat, to advocate for access to healthcare by migrants as a public health priority.

He highlighted that PANCAP would follow up with countries on the implementation of the Migrant Framework through the PANCAP Justice for All Programme and the PANCAP Policy and Strategy Working Group on Stigma and Discrimination.

The PANCAP Director concluded the meeting with a challenge for participants to advocate at the country-level for an inter-sectoral holistic approach to providing services for migrants which would incorporate their social and psychological needs. He noted that the draft guidance on the implementation of the framework proposed by participants is not prescriptive and can be adapted based on the requirements of each territory.