THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL (CDC) VISITED THE MIGRATION HEALTH ASSESSMENT CENTRE (MHAC) IN MAKERE AND TRANSIT CENTRE (TC) IN KASULU, TANZANIA FROM 20 TO 23 AUGUST 2019
Dr Michelle Weinberg from the Programme Support Unit of the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ) from CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA and Dr Luis Ortega, the Director of CDC Africa Field Programmes visited the IOM Migration Health Assessment Centre (MHAC) facilities in IOM Makere Processing Centre and Kasulu Transit Centre on 20 August and 21nd August 2019 respectively.
The CDC team was accompanied by Dr Marwan Naoum, the IOM Regional Health Assessment Coordinator for Africa and Dr Amin Farah, the IOM Regional Vaccination Coordinator from IOM Nairobi, Kenya.
This is part of regular technical and monitoring field visits carried out by the CDC experts as the institution that sets the health assessment technical guidelines for refugees destined to resettlement into the United States of America (USA) by IOM.
In the IOM Makere Processing Centre, the CDC team visited the different sections of the Migration Health Assessment Centre (MHAC) and had extensive discussions with the IOM MHD Doctors and Nurses and at the same evaluated their performance on conducting health assessment in line with the technical guidelines for Physical Examination. Additionally, the CDC team had discussions with the vaccination team and checked the cold chain for vaccines and observed their inoculations to clients. Lastly, the CDC team visited the pharmacy, laboratory and x-ray units in the MHAC.
In the IOM Kasulu Transit Centre, where IOM Migration Health Division (MHD) team conducts Predeparture Medical Screening (PDMS) for Refugees prior to their departure to the USA, the CDC team discussed with the IOM MHD team and observed the presumptive treatment for endemic diseases such as Malaria, intestinal parasite (deworming) and checked the presence and conditions of mosquito nets as well as the general conditions of the accommodations for refugees and the surroundings environment.
On their return, the CDC team met with the IOM Chief of Mission (CoM) in Tanzania, Dr Qasim Sufi and the Operation Manager, Ms. Mira Simovska in Dare Es Salaam and shortly briefed them about the outcome of their monitoring mission to Makere and Kasulu which was very successful.
For more information, please contact Dr Bernard Opare, the Chief Medical Officer in IOM Tanzania at bopare@iom.int or +25576352812