Oman: Reported new HIV test requirement for Filipinos traveling to Oman

No HIV test, no check-in: Filipino tourists turned away from Oman-bound flights

Filipino nationals traveling to the Sultanate of Oman are now reportedly required to present a certificate of HIV test before departure — a development that has caught many travelers off guard and has yet to be officially confirmed by Philippine authorities.

Multiple accounts from Filipino travelers have emerged in recent weeks, with at least one individual claiming to have been denied boarding on a flight from Thailand to Oman on March 20 after failing to produce an HIV test certificate. The traveler, who asked to remain anonymous, said he was traveling on a 14-day tourist visa and had not been informed of the requirement beforehand.

“I was denied boarding for not having an HIV test,” the traveler recounted. “I told them I was not informed that it was required since I’m only a 14-day free visa traveler, not for work, but they refused to board me.”

The traveler also noted an inconsistency at the gate: a fellow Filipino passenger was initially refused boarding but was later allowed through. He said airline ground staff, when asked where the directive came from, told him it originated from the airline’s head office.

Social media accounts pile up

The traveler’s account was shared on a Facebook page based in Oman, catering to the Filipino community, and the post quickly drew responses from followers who reported the same experience. One commenter, who said she had personally verified the requirement with an immigration officer at Oman’s airport, confirmed that the HIV certificate is checked upon arrival alongside the passport and visa — and is being required specifically of Filipino tourists and visitors, not of those who already hold Omani residency or labor cards.

“Except sa Oman resident or may Labor card yung mga galing bakasyon pabalik dito sa Oman. Di kayo hahanapan,” the commenter wrote, explaining that returning residents are exempt. She added that her sister had been held at an Oman Air check-in counter in the Philippines over the same requirement, with the family told the rule had only been implemented the previous month.

Another follower corroborated the account, saying a fellow Filipino she spoke with — who had traveled to Oman on a 14-day visa-free entry from the Philippines — confirmed the HIV test was now required. A third commenter was more specific on the scope: “New rules, no HIV test for all those applying for tourist visas, family visit visas. Those are not airline rules, they are as per government rules.”

The emerging picture from these accounts is that the requirement is being enforced at the airline check-in level — specifically by carriers operating flights to Oman — and applies to Filipino nationals traveling on tourist or visit visas. Filipino residents of Oman returning from vacation appear to be exempt.

What the documents show

A circular bearing the logo of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of the Sultanate of Oman describes the requirement as an “Explanatory Annex to Circular Regarding Entry Facilities for Nationals of the Philippines.” It specifies that the pre-arrival medical examination focuses on HIV/AIDS testing, that the certificate is accepted from any officially accredited clinic or medical center in the country where the examination is conducted, and that the requirement applies to all Philippine nationals regardless of departure point — including those residing in GCC countries. Children are exempt.

A screenshot of what appears to be Oman Air’s internal airline operations system — displaying a travel information warning screen — also shows the same requirement posted as an active directive to check-in staff: “NATIONALS OF PHILIPPINES MUST OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE OF HIV TEST BEFORE DEPARTURE. THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO CHILDREN.”

OWWA Oman confirms, but details remain thin

When a concerned Filipino reached out to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Oman via messaging to ask whether the HIV certificate was also required for tourists, an OWWA representative replied in the affirmative. “Yes that’s a new requirement for airlines,” the OWWA representative said. When pressed on the age threshold, the representative confirmed the requirement applies to those 18 years old and above, adding that local clinics were already aware of the process.

OWWA’s response, however, described the requirement as one being enforced by the airlines — consistent with what community members on the ground have observed — rather than framing it as a standalone Omani government directive formally communicated to Manila.

Philippine Embassy silent; travel agency unaware

As of this writing, the Philippine Embassy in Oman has not issued any advisory regarding the HIV testing requirement. The Global Filipino Magazine has reached out to the Embassy for an official statement and is awaiting a response.

TGFM also reached out to a Dubai-based travel agency, whose representative said they had not received any directive from the Omani government on the matter. The agency also noted that a UAE tourist visa holder who had recently transited through Oman to change visa status did not encounter the requirement — raising questions about whether enforcement is consistent across all entry points and traveler categories.

An awkward timing

The development comes at an ironic moment. Oman announced late last year that it would grant Filipino nationals visa-free entry for up to 14 days starting 2026 — a move hailed as a boost to bilateral ties and tourism. By early January 2026, the Omani Foreign Ministry’s entry visas page had been updated to include the Philippines among visa-exempt nationalities. The HIV testing requirement, if enforced as described, effectively layers a new medical prerequisite on top of what was intended to be a more open-door policy for Filipino visitors.

The timing also intersects with the Philippines’ worsening HIV epidemic. According to the World Health Organization, about 252,800 Filipinos are living with HIV in 2025, with an estimated 57 new diagnoses recorded daily — a staggering 550% increase in cases since 2010.

What travelers should know for now

Until an official advisory is issued by the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers, the Department of Foreign Affairs, or the Philippine Embassy in Muscat, the situation remains unconfirmed at the government-to-government level. Based on available accounts, Filipino nationals traveling to Oman on tourist or visit visas — regardless of departure point — are advised to secure an HIV test certificate from an accredited clinic or medical center before flying, as airlines appear to be enforcing the requirement at check-in.

Returning Filipino residents of Oman holding valid residency or labor cards appear to be exempt from the requirement.

The Global Filipino Magazine continues to seek comment from the Philippine Embassy in Muscat, the Department of Migrant Workers, and Oman Air. This is a developing story.

US: Idaho push to identify immigration status of HIV patients sparks alarm

Idaho lawmakers seek immigration status of HIV patients using state resources

The Department of Health and Welfare would be required to report the immigration status of people using state HIV prevention services under a proposed public health budget.

The move comes after Idaho lawmakers in 2025 passed a measure to prevent some immigrants from accessing services such as soup kitchens, prenatal care and crisis counseling.

Just days before that law was set to take effect, the American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho announced a lawsuit against part of the law that would prevent some immigrants from accessing HIV medication.

The plaintiffs argued that the immigrants couldn’t receive the medication otherwise, and the people needing those meds could face severe health issues or even death, while Idaho risked an HIV spread. A judge agreed and blocked that portion of the law from going into effect while litigation is ongoing.

On Tuesday, during a meeting of the state’s powerful budget committee, lawmakers voted 14-4 to include the immigration report language in a Health and Welfare budget.

The budget committee’s co-chair, Rep. Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, told the Idaho Statesman that someone in DHW told him that there was an increase in HIV among undocumented immigrants. He said he would not share the source.

The report was important to help the state figure out how to get ahead of any increases, he said.

“It’s important to understand,” Tanner said.

AJ McWhorter, a spokesperson with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, said there hasn’t been a trend in HIV cases for the past five years, but there have been regional increases “here and there.”

HIV cases have increased in the eastern and southeastern parts of the state in 2026, according to East Idaho News, with seven cases diagnosed in the first three months of the year — matching the typical yearly average.

The number of cases in that part of the state was “unexpected,” McWhorter said.

“As for what is causing the increase in Eastern and Southeastern Idaho, we don’t see a single determining factor,” McWhorter wrote in an email. “Increases can occur due to changes in testing patterns, partner networks, or a variety of other community factors.”

During Monday’s meeting, Tanner refused to let Sen. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, talk about the motion, instead repeatedly calling for a vote to be taken. But she managed to slip a word in:

“I need to say I think it’s really important that we are not discriminating against people based on a disease and an infection,” Wintrow said. “Disease knows no immigration status.”

US: Chicago group support LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive migrants in and beyond detention

Chicago-based collective helps LGBTQ+ migrants in detention

A Chicago-based immigrant rights organization is working to support LGBTQ+ migrants in immigration detention through a mix of direct services, arts programs and advocacy aimed at shifting public narratives around immigration.

Migrant Support Collective, founded in 2020, focuses on meeting the immediate needs of LGBTQ+ migrants who are either detained or recently released.

“We usually tell people that our partners get people out of detention, and we try to get them through it,” said Beck Sroczynski, the organization’s program director.

The organization combines “micro level” direct services to support migrants in detention with “macro level” advocacy work aimed at “shifting and interrupting xenophobic and transphobic narratives around LGBTQ+ migrants,” Sroczynski said.

The work began in response to the harms faced by LGBTQ+ people in detention, such as harassment, physical violence and medical neglect tied to their sexual orientation, gender identity or HIV status, Sroczynski said.

These challenges have been well-documented, including in a 2024 report from the National Immigrant Justice Center finding that nearly all LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive migrants surveyed had experienced harm while in detention.

Advocates have also raised concerns about the lack of transparency in federal detention systems, including gaps in data collection on transgender people in ICE custody.

“There are so many unique challenges that queer folks—especially gender nonconforming, transgender and HIV positive folks—face while experiencing detention,” Sroczynski said.

These challenges are often compounded when LGBTQ+ migrants don’t have access to outside support networks, Sroczynski said.

“For most of them, we are some of the only connections they have to the world outside of detention,” Sroczynski said.

In response, Migrant Support Collective has rolled out a series of programs for migrants in detention that center LGBTQ+ people.

One initiative, the LGBTQ+ Emotional Support program, sends resource packets to migrants that contain self-reflection exercises, identity-based materials and coping strategies that can help them navigate detention.

The packets are currently available in English and Spanish, with an Arabic translation in progress. They were developed in partnership with pro bono mental health professionals and sent to migrants through referrals from partner organizations.

Migrant Support Collective is also piloting an Art as Advocacy program, which provides detained migrants with art supplies and prompts to support creative expression and connection.

Organizers are planning a community event and art installation for later this year in Chicago where migrants can opt to have their artwork displayed, Sroczynski said. The initiative is designed to help with the isolation of detention while creating opportunities for migrants to share their stories.

Another key effort is the Data Transparency Initiative, which empowers LGBTQ+ migrants to share their own stories in a way that counters narratives that erase queer voices from immigration discourse.

Sroczynski said the program aims to “create opportunities for storytelling by detained queer migrants” while also working toward “increasing transparency and accountability” and advancing structural change.

As Migrant Support Collective grows, the organization is looking to expand its scope to support immigrants beyond detention.

The group is working on a reentry care package for LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive migrants who have been released from detention and are resettling in the Chicago area. It’s a partnership with the Chicago Center for HIV Elimination.

In addition to its LGBTQ+-specific programming, the organization continues to run its original library program, which provides detained migrants with books and journals upon request.

The program reflects the organization’s grassroots origins, which began as a small effort called “Books for Migrants.”

“That started when Michelle Velazquez and I were working at the National Immigrant Justice Center and we saw a lot of people were asking for books while in detention,” Sroczynski said.

Since then, the organization has grown significantly, supported in part by its fiscal sponsorship through Organized Communities Against Deportations.

Sroczynski said the partnership, established in 2024, has been critical to expanding its capacity.

“They provide so much support with our operations,” they said, citing fundraising connections, program feedback and administrative support. “We definitely wouldn’t be where we are today without them.”

Still, the need for additional support remains urgent—particularly for transgender migrants, Sroczynski said.

“I think that it is difficult to overemphasize the urgency of supporting and centering queer migrants, especially transgender migrants,” Sroczynski said.

New WHO report shows encouraging gains in migrant health inclusion, but gaps persist

Encouraging progress in inclusive health policies for refugees and migrants

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports a major shift in how countries are responding to the health needs of refugees and migrants, with new data showing more than 60 countries – two thirds of those surveyed – now include them in their national health policies and laws.

Drawing on data from 93 Member States, the report establishes the first global baseline for tracking progress toward inclusive, migrant-responsive health systems.

Human migration is a defining feature of our shared history, driving cultural, social and economic developments across generations. Today, over 1 billion people – over 1 in 8 globally – live as refugees or migrants.

Reasons for moving range from conflict and disasters, to economic opportunity, education or family needs. Yet many refugees and migrants face barriers to accessing care, heightened risks of infectious and chronic diseases, mental-health challenges, and unsafe living or working conditions.

“Refugees and migrants are not just recipients of care, they are also health workers, caregivers and community leaders,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization. “Health systems are only truly universal when they serve everyone. WHO’s new report on the health of migrants and refugee shows that inclusion benefits whole societies and strengthens preparedness for future health challenges.”

Investment in refugee and migrant health deliver far-reaching dividends. They support better social and economic integration, strengthen the resilience of health systems and reinforce global health security. Inclusive, migrant-responsive health systems also reduce long-term costs by enabling healthy, well-integrated populations to contribute fully to the societies in which they live.

The new “World report on promoting the health of refugees and migrants: monitoring progress on the WHO global action plan” shows that even in politically sensitive contexts, countries are increasingly relying on evidence, data, science, and established norms and standards to guide how migration and health are addressed within national health systems.

Case studies from all six WHO regions illustrate how progress can be achieved in practice – from expanded migrant health insurance coverage in Thailand, to the use of cross-cultural communication mediators in Belgium, and the inclusion of migrant community representatives in decision-making on primary health care delivery in Chile.

Gaps remain

Despite progress, the report highlights persisting gaps:

only 37% of responding countries routinely collect, analyze and disseminate migration-related health data as part of national health information systems;
just 42% include refugees and migrants in emergency preparedness, disaster risk reduction or response plans;
fewer than 40% report training health workers in culturally responsive care for refugees and migrants;
only 30% have implemented communication campaigns to counter misperceptions and discrimination related to refugee and migrant health;
access remains uneven: while refugees are generally more likely to access health services, migrants in irregular situations, internally displaced persons, migrant workers, and international students are far less consistently covered; and
participation in governance is limited: refugees and migrants remain under-represented in health governance and decision-making processes in most countries.

The way forward

WHO welcomes the progress made and urges governments, partners and donors to accelerate progress by:

embedding refugees and migrants in all national health policies, strategies and plans;
strengthening the collection and use of routine, disaggregated migration health data for planning and accountability;
coordinating across sectors spanning health, housing, education, employment and social protection;
tailoring strategies to the specific needs of different migrant subgroups, including those in irregular situations;
meaningfully engaging refugees and migrants in planning, governance and service design and delivery;
training health workers on providing equitable, culturally-sensitive care;
tackling misinformation and discrimination through evidence-informed action; and
protecting and expanding financing to safeguard progress for all.

WHO will continue to support Member States to translate commitments into action, by strengthening evidence, promoting culturally responsive care and integrating refugees and migrants into resilient national health systems. At global, regional and country levels, WHO will also continue working closely with partners, including the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Bank to advance coordinated, rights-based approaches to refugee and migrant health.

The IOM became the first international organization to onboard onto the Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN), a WHO-hosted digital public infrastructure that enables the verification of health documents across countries. The new collaboration is expected to further enhance efforts to help migrants securely access verifiable health records wherever they go, supporting continuity of care across borders.

By becoming the first international organization to join the GDHCN, IOM underscores WHO’s leadership in leading the public health aspects of refugee and migrant health and in fostering trusted, interoperable digital health systems that protect and empower people globally.

Greece’s new migration law draws UN condemnation for targeting NGOs

Greek Law Targeting NGOs Sparks International Criticism

Five United Nations experts, led by Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders Mary Lawlor, have sharply criticized Greece’s new migration law for criminalizing human rights defenders supporting migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. In a letter made public on February 24, the experts warned that the legislation, adopted on February 5, imposes unfair restrictions on NGOs and converts humanitarian activities into criminal offenses.

Under the law, membership in a nongovernmental organization is treated as an aggravating factor for migration-related crimes, meaning aid workers face harsher penalties than private citizens performing the same acts. For example, helping an undocumented person find shelter could be a misdemeanor for a private individual but a felony for an NGO worker. The UN experts argue that this creates “de jure discrimination” and could chill humanitarian efforts.

The legislation also grants the Greek migration minister broad powers to deregister NGOs without judicial oversight, adding to the already complex registration requirements for civil society groups. Human Rights Watch notes that this move fits a broader pattern of Greek authorities intimidating those who provide life-saving assistance, report on pushbacks, or hold the government accountable for migrant deaths.

By targeting and criminalizing civil society, the law undermines the rule of law and fosters a climate of fear, putting the lives of migrants and asylum seekers at risk. The UN experts urge the Greek government to annul abusive provisions and preserve civil society space as a fundamental aspect of democracy and human rights protection.

Senegal: Violence, arrests and stigma lead to surge in Asylum requests from LGBT community

The Paris-based association STOP Homophobia has sounded the alarm, announcing that it has received 18 requests for help to leave Senegal in the space of just a few days. Faced with what they describe as a ‘dramatic’ climate, more and more members of Senegal’s LGBT+ community are considering exile, mainly to neighbouring Gambia, to escape violence, threats and expulsion from their families. Terrence Khatchadourian, the association’s secretary general, stresses that everyone now fears arrest and serious violations of their privacy.

This desperate flight is a direct consequence of an unprecedented intensification of repression against homosexuality in Senegal. The country has been rocked by a series of arrests – at least 30 according to local media – triggered by denunciations and systematic phone searches. The names of those arrested are being made public, leading to what human rights defenders describe as a veritable ‘public lynching’.

Tougher legislation and health-related stigmatisation

The government recently passed a bill to double the penalties for homosexual relations from five to ten years’ imprisonment. The bill also provides for three to seven years in prison for anyone who ‘promotes’ homosexuality. This tough legislation responds to pressing demands from influential religious associations in a predominantly Muslim country where homosexuality is widely perceived as deviant.

The debate is all the more heated as some of those arrested are accused of deliberately transmitting HIV. According to STOP Homophobia, the use of HIV status as evidence against defendants creates a major public health crisis by discouraging testing and access to care.

Concerns from NGOs and local silence

While social media is awash with videos of attacks and inflammatory comments, dissenting voices are rare in Senegal. Denis Ndour, president of the Senegalese League for Human Rights, has himself supported tougher penalties, describing homosexuals as ‘sick’. Conversely, experts such as Marame Kane point out that protection against humiliation is a ‘universal principle’, regardless of cultural context.

Since 2021, Senegal is no longer considered a safe country by the OFPRA in France. For those who cannot afford to flee, the testimony of Boubacar*, an exile, is chilling: ‘The only thing they can do is watch death coming and wait.’

Sénégal : face à la « traque », l’association STOP Homophobie enregistre une vague de demandes d’asile

L’association STOP Homophobie, basée à Paris, a tiré la sonnette d’alarme en annonçant avoir reçu 18 demandes d’aide pour quitter le Sénégal en l’espace de seulement quelques jours. Face à un climat qu’ils jugent « dramatique », de plus en plus de membres de la communauté LGBT+ sénégalaise envisagent l’exil, principalement vers la Gambie voisine, pour échapper aux violences, aux menaces et aux expulsions familiales. Terrence Khatchadourian, secrétaire général de l’association, souligne que tous craignent désormais l’arrestation et les atteintes graves à leur vie privée.

Cette fuite désespérée est la conséquence directe d’une intensification sans précédent de la répression envers l’homosexualité au Sénégal. Le pays est secoué par des arrestations en série — au moins une trentaine selon les médias locaux — déclenchées par des dénonciations et des fouilles systématiques de téléphones. Les noms des personnes interpellées sont divulgués publiquement, provoquant ce que des défenseurs des droits humains qualifient de véritable « lynchage public ».

Un arsenal législatif durci et une stigmatisation sanitaire

Le gouvernement a récemment adopté un projet de loi visant à doubler les peines pour les relations homosexuelles, qui passeraient de cinq à dix ans d’emprisonnement. Le texte prévoit également trois à sept ans de prison pour toute personne faisant « l’apologie » de l’homosexualité. Cette fermeté législative répond aux demandes pressantes d’associations religieuses influentes dans un pays majoritairement musulman où l’homosexualité est largement perçue comme une déviance.

Le débat est d’autant plus virulent que certaines personnes arrêtées sont accusées de transmission volontaire du VIH. Selon STOP Homophobie, l’utilisation du statut sérologique comme preuve à charge crée une crise de santé publique majeure en décourageant le dépistage et l’accès aux soins.

Inquiétudes des ONG et silence local

Alors que les réseaux sociaux pullulent de vidéos d’agressions et de commentaires incendiaires, les voix discordantes se font rares au Sénégal. Denis Ndour, président de la Ligue sénégalaise des droits de l’Homme, a lui-même soutenu le durcissement des peines, qualifiant les homosexuels de « malades ». À l’inverse, des expertes comme Marame Kane rappellent que la protection contre l’humiliation est un « principe universel », indépendamment du contexte culturel.

Depuis 2021, le Sénégal n’est plus considéré comme un pays sûr par l’Ofpra en France. Pour ceux qui n’ont pas les moyens de fuir, le témoignage de Boubacar*, un exilé, est glaçant : « la seule chose qu’ils peuvent faire, c’est de voir la mort qui vient et attendre ».

Canada: Petition urges Canadians to oppose moves to restrict refugee health coverage

Media Briefing Note: Conservative motion and Liberal changes to refugee health care – Fact Check and Context

Posted on February 24, 2026

THE SITUATION IN BRIEF

The Conservative Party of Canada has tabled a motion today to drastically restrict health care coverage for asylum seekers under the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP). Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre released a video yesterday making a series of claims about the program that are factually incorrect or misleading.

Importantly: the Liberal government has already introduced cuts to the same program. Starting May 1, 2026, refugees will be forced to pay out-of-pocket co-payments for medications, dental care, mental health counseling, and vision care. The Conservative motion would go further – stripping nearly all non-emergency coverage entirely.

Both developments require scrutiny.

Click here to sign a petition against cuts to refugee healthcare.

QUOTE

“The people being targeted by these cuts survived war, torture, and persecution. They came to Canada because we told the world we were a country that offered refuge. Now both political parties are competing to see who can take more away from them – and they are doing it by lying to Canadians. The IFHP is not out of control. Refugees are not the reason you can’t find a family doctor and stripping sick people of basic medications will not reduce your wait time by a single day. We are asking Canadians: don’t let politicians use vulnerable people as a punching bag to score points. Learn the facts. Reject the division. Speak up for refugee healthcare.” – Syed Hussan, Spokesperson, Migrant Rights Network

CLAIM-BY-CLAIM FACT CHECK

(1) CLAIM: “Cutting refugee health care saves money”
VERDICT: False — Liberal co-payments policy shift costs to the most expensive part of the system

The government still covers 100% of emergency visits. When a refugee cannot afford a $4 insulin prescription and ends up in the ICU for diabetic ketoacidosis, that hospitalization costs an average of $7,826. When untreated hypertension leads to a stroke, costs run into the tens of thousands — all downloaded onto provincial systems.

The evidence is unambiguous: multiple peer-reviewed studies, including a randomized controlled trial that found removing a small $5 co-payment reduced hospitalizations by over 60% for chronic disease patients, confirm that co-payments cause low-income patients to forgo medications and end up in emergency rooms. A Canadian study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis found that during co-payment periods, hospital admissions rose while prescription fills fell. TheCollege of Family Physicians of Canada warns the $4 fee will result in deferred care and worse outcomes. Co-payments do not reduce costs — they move them.

(2) CLAIM: “The IFHP costs over a billion dollars and has grown 1,000%”
VERDICT: Misleading and partly false

The IFHP costs a fraction of what Canadians cost the healthcare system. The IFHP represents approximately 0.2% of Canada’s total health spending of $399 billion. Put another way, Canada spends $9,626 a year on healthcare per Canadian, versus just $1,645 a year per refugee claimant. The “1,000%” growth claim is simply false: costs grew from $211 million in 2020–21 to $896 million in 2024–25 — an increase of approximately 325%, not 1,000%. Costs grew because asylum claim volumes increased and processing backlogs extended the amount of time claimants had to wait for a decision on their case – not because benefits expanded. Asylum claim referrals have already dropped over 43% from 2024 to 2025 — from 190,483 to 108,060. The Parliamentary Budget Officer projects annual cost growth of the IFHP will slow from 33.7% to 11.2% going forward – without any cuts to coverage.

(3) CLAIM: “The IFHP provides deluxe benefits that Canadians don’t get”
VERDICT: False

IRCC’s own program description states IFHP supplemental coverage is comparable to benefits available to low-income Canadians on provincial social assistance — the same level of dental, vision, and prescription coverage as someone on Ontario Works. The claim that asylum seekers receive better care than Canadians lacks any defined comparator and is contradicted by IRCC’s program design. Canada recently launched a national dental care plan precisely because gaps in supplemental coverage hurt low-income Canadians – the answer to that gap is expanding access, not stripping it from refugees.

(4) CLAIM: “Money is being diverted from Canadian health care to refugees”
VERDICT: False

The IFHP is federally funded and entirely separate from provincial health budgets. Cutting it does not free up a single dollar for family doctors or specialist care. What it does do is shift costs — when refugees forgo preventive care and end up in emergency rooms, those costs download onto the very provincial health systems the Conservatives claim to be protecting.

(5) CLAIM: “6 million Canadians can’t find a family doctor because of asylum seekers”
VERDICT: False – causation not established

The OurCare Survey 2025, conducted by St. Michael’s Hospital in partnership with the Canadian Medical Association, found 5.9 million Canadians lack access to a regular primary care provider – but asylum seekers are not the cause. The Canadian Medical Association has documented a deficit of 22,823 family physicians driven by decades of underfunding and inadequate workforce planning. The IFHP is a separate federal program with no connection to provincial budgets that fund family doctors. Asylum seekers make up less than 1% of Canada’s population. Cutting their health care will not free up a single spot on a patient waitlist.

(6) CLAIM: “It takes 30 weeks for the average Canadian to see a specialist”
VERDICT: Mischaracterized metric

The widely cited figure measures median wait time from GP referral all the way to treatment completion — not time to see a specialist. The most recent data puts this figure at 28.6 weeks for 2025. More importantly, this has no relationship whatsoever to refugee health coverage. The IFHP is federally funded and is entirely separate from provincial health budgets. Cutting it will not reduce wait times by a single day.

(7) CLAIM: “Most asylum claimants are bogus”
VERDICT: False

In 2025, 63% of finalized refugee claims were accepted by Canada’s own legal system. Nearly a third of appeals at the Refugee Appeal Division are granted — meaning the system itself regularly finds that initial rejections were wrong.

(8) CLAIM: “Rejected claimants unfairly continue receiving benefits”
VERDICT: Misleading

Rejected claimants remain covered only while exhausting their legal right to appeal – a right that exists because the system makes errors that require correction, as evidenced by the high number of appeals that are successful. There are currently approximately 300,000 pending claims before the IRB. Both the PBO and IRCC identify this backlog as a primary cost driver. The solution is faster, fairer processing – not stripping health care while people wait increasingly longer to get a decision.

(9) CLAIM: “Asylum seekers have never paid taxes”
VERDICT: False

Asylum seekers have work permits and those that work pay income tax, HST, and payroll deductions – the same as any Canadian worker. All refugee claimants pay HST on every purchase.

(10) ON THE PROVIDER BILLING CLAIM

Some Conservative messaging has claimed providers charge up to five times provincial rates under the IFHP. This claim is disputed in Parliamentary committee testimony – IRCC officials state the IFHP uses fee schedules aligned with provincial rates. Where billing irregularities exist, the appropriate response is targeted audits of those providing care, not punishing the people receiving care.

(11) CUTS WILL COST MORE, NOT LESS

Creating financial barriers to treatment for communicable diseases — including tuberculosis, HIV, and hepatitis — poses risks beyond refugee communities. As the HIV Legal Network and HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario have warned, reduced treatment uptake increases transmission and the likelihood of outbreaks, undermining public health for all Canadians.

(12) THE LEGAL PRECEDENT

In 2012, the Harper government made similar cuts to the IFHP. A peer-reviewed study documented increased emergency room costs as hospitals absorbed care that had been withdrawn. The Federal Court struck the cuts down as “cruel and unusual treatment” — a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The cuts were reversed. The current co-payment policy faces the same constitutional vulnerability.

India: Kerala Health Authorities plan large-scale HIV awareness drive and medical camp

Campaign to address health concerns among migrant workers

A recent spike in reported HIV cases in and around Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district has drawn renewed attention to healthcare challenges among migrant workers. As many as 15 people tested HIV-positive in the area over the past few months.

While the workers who tested HIV-positive are currently undergoing treatment, the emergence of these cases has highlighted the urgent need to address broader healthcare gaps within the migrant community.

In an effort to address the emerging concerns, the Health department, along with the Kerala State AIDS Control Society (KSACS), is jointly organising a mega awareness programme and medical camp on February 22, 2026.

The day will also mark the launch of Niramaya Pravas 2026, a campaign spearheaded by the KSACS in collaboration with various government departments. The initiative focuses on promoting the overall health and well-being of migrant workers across the State.

According to Reshmi Madhavan, joint director, KSACS, health challenges continue to remain a matter of concern among the migrant community. “It is observed that their priority is employment. Health figures as an area of least priority. We need to bring them into the ambit of healthcare with due diligence,” Ms. Madhavan said. According to her, the focus should be on empowering the community to seek medical help when faced with an illness, be it a sexually transmitted disease or any other disease.

“The focus is on creating awareness among the community, getting them medical help and preventing the spread of diseases. Hence, we are planning intensive campaigns across the State targeting the community,” said Ms. Madhavan.

One of the main challenges faced by the department is keeping track of members of the migrant community, officials said. “It has been observed that their focus is on staying employed. So even when diagnosed with a disease, they do not return for follow-up treatment. When we try to track them, they would have moved to other locations for work. The absence of proper registers and documentation is proving to be a challenge,” said Dr. Rosamma P.S., Medical Superintendent, Government Taluk Hospital, Perumbavoor.

Perumbavoor municipal chairperson K.N. Sangeetha said that regular medical camps would also be held to address the healthcare challenges of the region.

Displaced populations face unique health challenges and barriers

Refugee and Migrant Health: Protecting Vulnerable People on the Move

Amina fled Syria in 2015 with her three children after bombs destroyed their neighborhood in Aleppo. The harrowing journey to Europe took three months—traveling by foot, crowded trucks, and a dangerous boat crossing where several fellow passengers drowned. When her family finally reached a refugee camp in Greece, Amina thought their ordeal was over. Instead, new health challenges began. Her youngest daughter developed chronic diarrhea from contaminated water in the overcrowded camp. Her son’s asthma worsened from sleeping in a cold, damp tent with no medication available. Amina herself struggled with severe depression and anxiety from trauma, displacement, and uncertainty about their future. Healthcare at the camp was overwhelmed—one doctor for 5,000 refugees, minimal medicines, no mental health services, and no treatment for chronic diseases.

Amina’s family represents a fraction of the approximately 100 million forcibly displaced people worldwide—the highest number ever recorded. This includes refugees fleeing persecution, conflict, or violence, internally displaced persons forced from homes but remaining within their countries, asylum seekers awaiting refugee status determination, and stateless persons without nationality from any country. Beyond forcibly displaced populations, an additional 280 million international migrants live outside their birth countries for economic opportunities, family reunification, education, or other reasons.

According to the World Health Organization, refugees and migrants often face particular health challenges and barriers to accessing healthcare. While refugees and migrants are not inherently less healthy than host populations—many are young, healthy individuals—the circumstances surrounding migration can create health vulnerabilities. WHO emphasizes that ensuring refugees’ and migrants’ health is important not only for their wellbeing but also for public health and social cohesion in host communities. Health challenges include infectious disease risks from overcrowding in camps, inadequate water and sanitation, interrupted vaccination schedules, and limited access to treatment; noncommunicable disease management disrupted by displacement; maternal and child health vulnerabilities; mental health problems from trauma, violence, loss, and ongoing uncertainty; and injuries from dangerous journeys and violence.

Understanding Refugee and Migrant Populations

Refugees and migrants comprise diverse populations with different legal statuses and health needs. Refugees are people fleeing persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations who have crossed international borders and cannot return safely. They’re protected under international law with specific rights including access to healthcare. The global refugee crisis has escalated dramatically—in 2023, over 36 million people were refugees, the highest number recorded. Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine produce the largest refugee populations.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are forced from homes by conflict, violence, disasters, or persecution but remain within their countries’ borders. They number approximately 62 million globally, often facing similar health challenges as refugees but lacking international protection. Asylum seekers are people who have applied for refugee status and await decisions. During this period, they face legal uncertainties affecting healthcare access. Migrants broadly include anyone moving across borders temporarily or permanently for work, education, family reunification, or better opportunities. While migration can be voluntary, many “economic migrants” face desperate circumstances including poverty, climate change impacts, and limited opportunities pushing them to seek better lives elsewhere.

Like maternal health and newborn health requiring specialized approaches for vulnerable populations, refugee and migrant health demands understanding unique circumstances and needs.

Health Challenges During Migration

The migration journey itself creates significant health risks. Dangerous travel routes including desert crossings causing dehydration and heat exposure, sea crossings on overcrowded, unseaworthy boats risking drowning, walking long distances causing injuries and exhaustion, and traveling in crowded, poorly ventilated vehicles spreading infectious diseases all threaten health. Many migrants face violence during journeys including robbery, assault, sexual violence (particularly affecting women and children), trafficking and exploitation, and violence from smugglers or border enforcement.

Environmental exposures harm health through extreme temperatures without adequate shelter or clothing, inadequate food and water causing malnutrition and dehydration, and exposure to disease vectors like mosquitoes in areas with malaria or other diseases. Interrupted healthcare causes medication disruptions for people with chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, or HIV losing access to essential medications, missed vaccinations leaving children vulnerable to preventable diseases, and lack of prenatal care for pregnant women risking complications.

Mental health impacts include trauma from violence, loss of family members, and witnessing atrocities, chronic stress from ongoing uncertainty and danger, grief and loss of homes, communities, and familiar lives, and fear about future prospects and family safety. These psychological impacts can manifest as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health conditions requiring treatment often unavailable during migration.

Health Risks in Camps and Settlements

Refugee camps and settlements, while providing temporary safety, often create new health challenges. Overcrowding with thousands living in cramped conditions facilitates infectious disease transmission including respiratory infections like pneumonia and tuberculosis spreading rapidly in crowded shelters, diarrheal diseases from inadequate sanitation, and vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and pertussis causing outbreaks in undervaccinated populations.

Inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) creates disease risks through contaminated water sources causing cholera, typhoid, and diarrheal diseases, insufficient sanitation facilities spreading fecal-oral diseases, and limited hygiene supplies preventing proper handwashing and menstrual hygiene. Food insecurity and malnutrition result from insufficient food rations causing undernutrition, monotonous diets lacking essential nutrients causing micronutrient deficiencies, and distribution challenges preventing fair access.

Limited healthcare services mean overburdened health facilities cannot meet population needs, insufficient health workers to provide adequate care, medication shortages particularly for chronic diseases, and minimal specialized services like mental health care, chronic disease management, or surgical capacity. Inadequate shelter through tents or temporary structures providing insufficient protection from weather, lack of heating in cold climates, poor ventilation facilitating disease transmission, and fire risks from cooking and heating in crowded conditions all compromise health.

Violence and safety concerns include gender-based violence affecting women and girls, child protection issues including family separation and exploitation, and insecurity within camps from conflicts or criminal activity. Like challenges in occupational health, refugee camp health risks require systematic environmental improvements.

Barriers to Healthcare Access

Even when healthcare services exist in host countries, refugees and migrants face multiple access barriers. Legal and administrative obstacles include unclear legal status affecting healthcare entitlements, documentation requirements that refugees/migrants cannot meet, and administrative complexity navigating unfamiliar health systems. Financial barriers involve lack of health insurance or ineligibility for public coverage, inability to afford out-of-pocket healthcare costs, and poverty limiting ability to pay for medicines or transportation to facilities.

Language and cultural barriers mean inability to communicate with healthcare providers, unfamiliarity with host country health systems and how to access care, cultural differences in understanding illness and treatment, and mistrust of authorities stemming from past persecution or negative experiences. Geographic barriers include living in remote areas far from health facilities, lack of transportation to reach healthcare services, and settlement in areas with inadequate health infrastructure.

Discrimination and xenophobia create hostile environments through stigma and discrimination against refugees/migrants in healthcare settings, fear of deportation preventing care-seeking, and racism affecting quality of care received. Knowledge gaps result from limited information about available health services, unawareness of rights to healthcare, and lack of health education in languages refugees/migrants understand.

Like primary health care access gaps generally, refugee and migrant healthcare barriers require systematic solutions addressing multiple levels.

Health Interventions and Solutions

Addressing refugee and migrant health requires comprehensive approaches. Emergency health services in camps and settlements should provide basic healthcare through primary care facilities, emergency treatment, and mobile clinics reaching remote populations. Essential interventions include immunization campaigns preventing outbreaks, nutritional support addressing malnutrition, maternal and child health services, and infectious disease surveillance and control.

WASH improvements ensure safe water supply, adequate sanitation facilities, hygiene promotion and supplies, and environmental sanitation reducing disease transmission. Mental health and psychosocial support through counseling services, psychological first aid training for healthcare workers and community members, support groups for trauma survivors, and culturally appropriate mental health interventions address psychological needs.

Healthcare access in host countries requires inclusive health policies ensuring refugees/migrants can access essential healthcare, affordable or subsidized healthcare reducing financial barriers, language services through interpreters and translated materials, and culturally competent care respecting diverse backgrounds. Health system strengthening involves increasing capacity to serve refugee/migrant populations, training healthcare workers in refugee health and cultural competency, integrating refugee/migrant health into national health systems, and ensuring continuity of care for chronic diseases.

Community engagement empowers refugee/migrant communities through participatory approaches in health program design, community health workers from refugee/migrant communities providing culturally appropriate care, health education in relevant languages addressing specific needs, and addressing social determinants of health including housing, education, and employment. Like One Health requiring cross-sectoral collaboration, refugee health demands coordinated humanitarian and development responses.

Amina’s Progress

Five years after arriving in Greece, Amina’s family resettled in Germany through a refugee resettlement program. Access to comprehensive healthcare transformed their lives. Her daughter’s chronic diarrhea was properly diagnosed and treated. Her son received asthma medications and an inhaler, controlling his symptoms. Amina received mental health counseling and treatment for depression and PTSD. The family enrolled in German language classes and health education programs teaching them to navigate the healthcare system.

“Having access to healthcare made us feel human again,” Amina reflects. “In the camp, we were just surviving day to day, dealing with illness after illness without proper treatment. Here, we can see doctors when we’re sick, get medications we need, and address our mental health. My children can grow up healthy. This should be available to all refugees—healthcare is a human right, not a privilege.”

Dr. Hassan, who provides healthcare to refugee populations, emphasizes: “Refugees and migrants face extraordinary health challenges from dangerous journeys, trauma, displacement, crowded camps, and barriers accessing care. Yet with appropriate support, they’re resilient populations who recover, contribute to host societies, and thrive. Ensuring refugee and migrant health requires recognizing healthcare as a human right, providing emergency health services in camps and during transit, including refugees and migrants in national health systems, addressing social determinants like housing and employment, combating discrimination and xenophobia, supporting mental health and psychosocial needs, and engaging communities in health programs. Protecting refugee and migrant health isn’t just humanitarian obligation—it benefits public health and social cohesion in host communities. When we invest in refugee and migrant health, we build healthier, more inclusive societies benefiting everyone.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What health challenges do refugees and migrants face?

Refugees and migrants face multiple health challenges: (1) Journey-related risks—dangerous routes causing injuries, violence including assault and trafficking, environmental exposures (extreme temperatures, inadequate food/water), interrupted healthcare for chronic diseases; (2) Camp/settlement conditions—overcrowding spreading infectious diseases, inadequate water/sanitation causing diarrheal diseases, food insecurity and malnutrition, limited healthcare services, inadequate shelter; (3) Mental health—trauma from violence and loss, chronic stress from uncertainty, PTSD, depression, anxiety; (4) Infectious diseases—respiratory infections, tuberculosis, vaccine-preventable diseases from interrupted immunization, diarrheal diseases; (5) Chronic disease management disruptions for diabetes, hypertension, HIV; (6) Maternal/child health vulnerabilities—lack of prenatal care, child malnutrition, interrupted vaccinations. While refugees/migrants aren’t inherently less healthy than host populations, migration circumstances create vulnerabilities requiring specific interventions.

Q2: Do refugees and migrants bring diseases to host countries?

This is a common misconception. Evidence shows refugees and migrants don’t pose greater infectious disease risks to host populations than local residents. Most infectious disease transmission occurs within communities, not from refugees/migrants introducing new diseases. Refugees/migrants are screened for communicable diseases during resettlement. Health challenges refugees face primarily affect them, not host populations. When outbreaks occur in camps (measles, cholera), they’re contained through vaccination and treatment. Some refugees/migrants may have diseases like tuberculosis or hepatitis from high-prevalence origin countries, but these don’t spread easily and are managed through screening and treatment. Public health benefits from ensuring refugee/migrant health through preventing disease spread in camps, providing vaccination protecting whole communities, and addressing conditions before they worsen. Discrimination based on unfounded disease transmission fears harms individuals and public health.

Q3: What barriers prevent refugees and migrants from accessing healthcare?

Multiple barriers limit healthcare access: (1) Legal/administrative—unclear legal status affecting entitlements, documentation requirements refugees/migrants can’t meet, complexity navigating unfamiliar systems; (2) Financial—lack of insurance or public coverage eligibility, inability to afford out-of-pocket costs, poverty limiting access; (3) Language/cultural—inability to communicate with providers, unfamiliarity with health systems, cultural differences in understanding illness, mistrust of authorities; (4) Geographic—living far from facilities, lack of transportation, settlement in areas with inadequate infrastructure; (5) Discrimination—stigma in healthcare settings, fear of deportation, racism affecting care quality; (6) Knowledge gaps—limited information about available services, unawareness of healthcare rights, lack of health education in appropriate languages. Addressing these requires inclusive policies, affordable care, language services, culturally competent providers, and community engagement.

Q4: How can healthcare systems better serve refugee and migrant populations?

Healthcare systems can improve refugee/migrant health through: (1) Inclusive policies ensuring refugees/migrants can access essential healthcare regardless of legal status; (2) Affordable care through subsidized services, insurance coverage, or eliminating out-of-pocket costs for essential services; (3) Language services providing professional interpreters and translated health materials; (4) Culturally competent care training providers in refugee health issues, cultural sensitivity, and trauma-informed approaches; (5) System navigation support helping refugees/migrants understand and access healthcare; (6) Integration into national health systems rather than parallel services; (7) Chronic disease management ensuring continuity of care for ongoing conditions; (8) Mental health services addressing trauma, depression, anxiety with culturally appropriate approaches; (9) Community health workers from refugee/migrant communities bridging cultural/linguistic gaps; (10) Addressing social determinants including housing, education, employment affecting health. Like ensuring quality of caregenerally, serving refugees/migrants requires systematic approaches.

Q5: What can be done to improve health in refugee camps?

Improving refugee camp health requires: (1) WASH improvements—safe water supply, adequate sanitation facilities, hygiene promotion and supplies, waste management; (2) Adequate healthcare—sufficient health facilities and staff, essential medicines including chronic disease medications, emergency treatment capacity, referral systems for complex cases; (3) Vaccination programs preventing outbreaks of measles, polio, other vaccine-preventable diseases; (4) Nutrition support—adequate food rations with nutritional diversity, supplementary feeding for malnourished children, micronutrient supplementation; (5) Mental health services—counseling, psychological support, trauma-informed care, community-based psychosocial programs; (6) Reduced overcrowding—adequate space per person, proper shelter with weather protection, safe cooking facilities; (7) Safety and protection—preventing gender-based violence, child protection, security within camps; (8) Health education—disease prevention, hygiene practices, nutrition, available services; (9) Community participation—engaging refugees in health program design and implementation. Well-managed camps significantly reduce health risks, though permanent solutions through resettlement or return remain goals.

Focus Key Phrase: Refugee migrant health challenges healthcare access displacement camps

Meta Description: 100 million displaced people worldwide face unique health challenges—learn about refugee and migrant health risks from dangerous journeys, camp conditions, healthcare barriers, mental health trauma, and solutions for inclusive care.

References

World Health Organization. (2024). Refugee and migrant health. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/health-topics/refugee-and-migrant-health
World Health Organization. (2024). Refugee and migrant health – Fact Sheet. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/refugee-and-migrant-health
UNHCR. (2024). Global Trends: Forced Displacement. Retrieved from https://www.unhcr.org/global-trends
Observer Voice. Maternal Health: Protecting Mothers and Saving Lives. Retrieved from https://observervoice.com/maternal-health-protecting-mothers-saving-lives/
Observer Voice. Newborn Health: Protecting Babies in Their First 28 Days. Retrieved from https://observervoice.com/newborn-health-protecting-babies-first-28-days/
Observer Voice. Malaria: Prevention and Treatment. Retrieved from https://observervoice.com/malaria-prevention-treatment/

India: Mobility hampers HIV treatment follow-up among migrant labourers in Kerala

HIV cases in Perumbavoor guest workers

Kochi: After a rise in drug-related issues sparked tensions between locals and migrant labourers in Perumbavoor, there is now concern about health department’s difficulty in tracking guest workers, who tested positive for HIV in the last few months, and provide them with treatment. Wrong mobile numbers and addresses and frequent movement within the state due to the nature of work pose hurdles in tracking them.

Health department decided to conduct a field visit to Perumbavoor and Kerala State Aids Control Society (KSACS) will convene a meeting with govt departments such as police, excise, labour and local bodies to chalk out a plan to address the issue.

Data with health department shows that about 26% of those who tested HIV-positive in Perumbavoor area in the past few months were guest workers. The random testing was conducted through Perumbavoor taluk hospital.

Although the department is reluctant to share the total number of people tested and how many turned positive, officials said their real concern was migrant labour. The percentage may not appear alarming, as migrant labour testing HIV-positive is only 1/4th the total number of people who tested positive in Perumbavoor. However, the real worry is different: the migrant population is floating, and health officials are concerned because they are unable to trace many HIV-positive guest workers. Hence, timely intervention has become difficult.

Health officials realised that in most cases, the addresses provided are fake, making it difficult to track them in their home state too. “We are compiling data regarding all HIV cases in the area, including the latest test results,” said a KSACS official.

“By the time we get detailed test results, we fear the infected guest worker would leave here. Attempts to trace them using the phone numbers or address given by them often reach a dead end. We learned that some of them even possess multiple Aadhaar cards,” he added.

Even if addresses are genuine, tracking them isn’t easy. “Their mobility makes it difficult to trace them. Due to the nature of their work, they move from one place to another within days. In some cases, they leave the state. In such cases, we have to seek the support of National Aids Control Organization (NACO),” said another KSACS official.

Although state govt instructed labour and home departments to prepare a registry of guest workers more than four years ago, the work remains incomplete. Labour department was supposed to issue digital ID cards through Athithi portal, but the process is still halfway. Local bodies and health departments are supposed to conduct inspections at the accommodation facilities of guest workers, but they rarely do it.

Health department plans to seek district administration’s support for coordination with various govt departments in the district. The plan is to assign specific targets for each department.