Description
Amel Association in a 45 years NGO based in Lebanon, committed to the support of every human being regardless of any discrimination; through its 30 centers and 6 mobile clinics. Provision of Primary health care and Support to Migrants are 2 out of 15 programs spread throughout the country. Amel, seeks to provide services as much as aims at advocating to impact policies to amend, for enhanced equity to the most vulnerable.
I, Zeina Mohanna, have been working for Amel for over 20 years, as specialized in Human rights, among which 12 years have been dedicated to lobby and enhance the protection of Migrant rights nationally or through international advocacy. Also, being a part-time lecturer at the American University of Beirut teaching Human rights and Public Policy, I have observed the value of documenting humanitarian intervention and bring it to academia. Among the achievements conducted is to succeed to push the UN to create a Migrant sector, Where I was voted to co-lead, and where we succeed to channel more funds and mainstream them among all sectors, including health. Dr. Ghassani is a health advisor to Amel support part of the health research
Migrant Workers forming 7% of the lebanese population, are faced with the kafala system that subject them to modern slavery with cases of smuggling and trafficking. The most vulnerable migrants are the ones who ran away from the employer due to violence or exploitation and became undocumented that increase their vulnerability. Most of these migrants lacking regular legal status are denied access to health due to the absence of identification documents. This sets a real concern of health and equity, in addition to a threat to public health and prevention of diseases.
The objective of the research is to showcase how Amel programming ensured accessed of healthcare to migrant workers with irregular legal status.
II. The research methodology relies on:
1. Secondary Data of Migrants subtracted from the Phenics Health Information System based on the migrants accessing free health consultations and medications through Amel Primacy Health Care Centers in Lebanon. Also from the Database of protection support provided through case management that sets the vulnerability scoring of the designated migrants accessing health.
2. Focus Group Discussions conducted with undocumented migrants
3. Semi-structured interviews with key decision makers and stakeholders as key personnel in the ministry of Public health, insurance companies, consulates and embassies issuing identification documents, among others.
III. The result of the research is to showcase how Amel succeeded, despite the kafala System, and all the constraints to ensure access of health to undocumented migrants. This pilot will be used to lobby for national memorandum to enhance equity of migrants accessing heath care in Lebanon with the Ministry.
IV. Conclusions:
- Ensuring a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approach for access to healthcare
- Access of migrant to health requires a comprehensive approach for its success including awareness raising and protection.
- Enhancing equity of migrants to health care increase prevention and reduce the cost on tertiary care/hospitalization
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