WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE BUREAU REGIONAL DE L'EUROPE

WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО

Border Health Checks for Migrants and Refugees Country workshop

Scope and purpose

1. Background and rationale

From 1 Jan to 31 December 2018, approx. 24,000 migrants and refugees were registered as having entered (BIH), many of whom are travelling on the new so- called 'Balkan route' to Western Europe, which passes through Albania, Montenegro, BIH and in some instances Serbia. The numbers vary because law enforcement agencies failed to register all new arrivals, but over 22 thousand migrant and refugees in BIH have expressed intention to seek asylum and only 1,500 filled for asylum (7%) during 2018. Most of migrants are stationed in four camps in -Sana Canton, North-West part of BIH bordering Croatia (EU). It is estimated now there are 5,000 migrants in BIH, more than 3,200 are in Una-Sana Canton, and approximately 4,500 are accommodated in the IOM run camps – according to figures released by the Ministry of Security of BIH – and approximately 500 of them are sleeping outdoors. For the time being most migrants are living in temporary accommodation units that vary from place to place. In Una-Sana Canton migrant population is accommodated in four centres run by IOM, Bira factory and renewed Borici shelter (Bihać), hotel Sedra (Cazin municipality area) and Miral factory (Velika Kladuša).

In June 2018, Ministery of Civil Affairs of BIH requested the support of WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA, for addressing the health needs of refugees/migrants. Following that request, the WHO EURO Migration and Health Programme visited BiH on 5-6 September 2018 with the aim of identifying key priority areas of intervention in support of the Health Authorities in BiH. The mission included three field visits to Trnava – Camp Velika Kladuša, Hotel Sedra and to the refugee shelters “Pod Boricima”, as well as a meeting in Sarajevo with UN agencies at UN HOUSE in Sarajevo. The mission findings confirmed that despite the low number, local institutions are poorly prepared to properly handle the situation. Structural gaps in providing an adequate response were identified. Supporting capacity building activities, as well as developing standard protocols on health checks for migrants and refugees, were identified priorities.

In July 2017, the National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty (INMP), in Rome, Italy, published “Border Check”, key clinical-organizational guidelines for the health protection and the social and health care of migrant populations. The main aim of the publication was to offer to decision-makers, to reception centers administrators and to social and health workers evidence- based recommendations on the practice of migrant health checks at arrival to Italy and during the reception phases. “Border Checks” proposes standard steps and procedures for the implementation of surveillance and health protection of migrants regarding diseases relevant to individuals and to public health. An abstract in English was presented to the WHO representative in BiH who agreed to promote the publication in BiH and proposed its adaptation to the BIH context.

2. Objectives and Key Activities

Contribute in reducing excess morbidity and mortality among refugee, migrant and resident population in BiH by promoting evidence-based migrant health interventions. The workshop will consist of lectures as well as first-hand experience sharing by policy makers, experts, health workers and civil society representatives.

3. Target Group of participants:

- Ministry of Civil Affairs of BIH – Department for Health, Sarajevo - Ministry of Security of BIH - Immigration Department, Sarajevo - Ministry of Health of the Federation of BIH, Sarajevo - Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the , Banja Luka - Public Health Institute of the Federation of BIH, Sarajevo - Ministry of Health of Canton Sarajevo, Sarajevo - Public Health Institute of Canton Sarajevo, Sarajevo - Health Insurance Fund of Canton Sarajevo, Sarajevo - Ministry of Health of Herzegovina- Canton, Mostar - Public Health Institute of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Mostar - Health Insurance Fund of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Mostar - Ministry of Health of Una-Sana Canton, Bihac - Public Health Institute of Una-Sana Canton, Bihac - Health Insurance Fund of Una-Sana Canton, Bihac - Primary health care institutions: Bihac, Velika Kladusa, Cazin, Sarajevo and Mostar - Hospital and Clinical centres representatives: Una-Sana, Herzegovina-Neretva and Sarajevo Cantons - UNICEF Representative in BiH - IOM, Representative in BiH - UNHCR Representative in BiH - UNFPA Representative in BiH - MSF - Danish refugee Council - ECHO (EU)

4. Outcomes of the workshop

Apart from the development of the BiH Guidelines, the country workshop will provide an opportunity to facilitate the dialogue of the different stakeholders at the Federation and Cantonal level as well as at municipality level as well as to discuss possible ways forward, offering the opportunity to plan a policy dialogue and a comprehensive migrant health country assessment.