Uganda -East Africa has been characterized by large, complex migratory flows; countries in the region experience multiple patterns of migration as a result of their socioeconomic, geopolitical and demographic contexts, driven by factors such as poverty, conflict, high population growth rates and porous international borders. They also have marked internal disparities, and some have and/or are bordered by countries with unstable political and economic histories.

According to UNHCR, there are some 441,392 South Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers in Uganda. Thousands of people most of them women and children continue to flee the uncertainty and fighting.

IOM, in collaboration with the Makerere University School of Health Sciences, College of Humanities and Social Sciences will now offer a unique certificate course on Migration Health.

The main aim of this course is to enhance the development of a pool of practitioners with competencies in different areas of migration health which is critical in assisting governments in realizing the right to health of migrants, as well as improve health outcomes and sustainability of the migration health systems.

Speaking at the opening of the course, Annelie Kawuma of the Swedish Embassy in Uganda said: “Addressing the health of migrants not only improves migrant health and upholds the human rights of migrants; it also avoids long-term health and social costs, protects public health, facilitates integration and contributes to sustainable social and economic development. With the knowledge and experience you gain here, you will have taken the first steps to contributing to these outcomes and improving health in East Africa.”

Dr. Erick Ventura, IOM’s Regional Migration Health Coordinator for Southern Africa said: “Promoting migration health in policy and practice will contribute to reduction of the burden of disease; enhanced integration and social stability; social and economic development in destination countries and communities; and poverty reduction in countries and communities of origin. To achieve these outcomes, individuals working in the domains of migration or health, such as immigration officials, healthcare providers, public health professionals as well as private sector, development, humanitarian and civil society actors must have multidisciplinary understanding of critical migration health issues.”

The training will run from 20-27 October. Some 30 individuals from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, South Sudan, Rwanda and Norway will take part. They will include representatives from government, districts, universities, UN agencies and civil society organizations that do migration related work.

The course is part of the Partnership in Health and Mobility (PHAMESA) and is supported by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA).

For more information please contact Francis Mulekya at IOM Uganda, Email: fmulekya@iom.int, Tel. +2567726722355