Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) in collaboration with Bangladesh Civil Society for Migrants (BCSM) has organized an online report findings sharing meeting on 22 May 2023on a report on ‘Access to Health Care for Labour Migrants in the Gulf States’. The meeting began with the description of five case stories of aggrieved migrant workers. The summary report on access to health care was presented before the BCSM members by Dr. C R Abrar, Executive Director, RMMRU and Chair, BCSM. The findings of another study of RMMRU on the ‘Death of Female Migrant Workers in the Countries of Destination’ was also presented by Ms. Marina Sultana, Director (Programme), RMMRU.
In the next session, representatives of member organisations of BCSM participated in an open discussion on numbers of issues highlighted in the report and labour migration like the working environment of the migrant workers, challenges in accessing health care, reproductive health care in the countries of destination etc.
Ms. Jasiya Khatoon, Director, WARBE Development Foundation mentioned, women migrant workers commonly hide health conditions such as diabetes and asthma. As a result, they become sick due to overwork in the countries of destination. So, reforms are needed in medical test for aspirant migrant workers. According to her opinion, the government needs to have a strong system to track the overall well-being of the migrants working abroad with all the relevant data and information.
Accessing reproductive health care for women migrant workers in countries of destination was emphasized by Ms. Sabira Swapna, Project Officer, OKUP. In this regard, she shared the experience of a female migrant worker as well.
Access to health care for migrant workers in the countries of destination gets less attention all the time. A policy brief on this should be published, added Mr. Md. Syaduzzaman Mithu, Project Coordinator, BILS.
Mr. Syed Saiful Haque, Chairman, WARBE Development Foundation and Co-Chair of BCSM mentioned that returnees suffer from various complex diseases due to lack of proper access to reproductive health care in the countries of destination. After returning home they suffer from depression and need counselling. After conducting the open discussion, he concluded the event through the closing remarks and vote of thanks.