Health Assessment 

Healthy Migrants in Healthy Communities.

Migration health assessments are among the most well-established migration management services offered by IOM. Within its Migration Health Division (MHD), IOM delivers and promotes comprehensive, preventive and curative health programmes which are beneficial, accessible, and equitable for migrants and mobile populations. The IOM Migration Health Assessment Programme (MHAP), as part of the MHD, provides migration health assessments and related services as one of the longest-standing activities of the Organization. IOM provides an evaluation of the physical and mental health status of migrants prior to their departure for the purpose of assisting them with resettlement, international employment, attainment of temporary or permanent visas, enrolment in specific migrant assistance programmes, such as assisted voluntary return, or during post-emergency relocation and repatriation.

 

IOM in the United Republic of Tanzania operates the Makere Processing Centre, which houses a complete health assessment facility, including radiology and laboratory facilities for the country’s refugee resettlement programme. X-rays, laboratory and other screenings are carried out by IOM’s MHD Doctors and other health professionals at Makere Migration Health Assessment Centre (MHAC) in Kasulu, Kigoma. This is after the Resettlement Support Centre (RSC) sends IOM cases that are ready for departures for different countries such as USA, Canada and Australia.

 

Makere laboratories are categorized as biosafety level-3 laboratories and can perform Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture. Through the Makere Processing Centre, IOM supported COVID-19 responses in the country and across the region, including through the deployment of community health professionals to create COVID-19 awareness and introduce infection preventive practices. The Makere Processing Centre also supported the First Line of Defence Framework for UN staff and their families, including through testing for COVID-19.

 

Migration Health Assessments for United Kingdom-Bound Migrants from Tanzania

All applicants who are planning to stay in the United Kingdom for 6 months or longer, and who are living in or have travelled to a country with high TB burden within the last six months, are required to undergo a migration health assessment to screen for active tuberculosis (TB) as part of their visa application process for the United Kingdom. IOM operates the UKTB Tanzania programme at the Dar es Salaam Office that offers TB screening for individuals intending to travel to the UK. In addition, the IOM Country Office in Dar es Salaam offers medical health assessments and related services for immigrants traveling to countries such as the USA, Canada and Australia.