The World Health Organization (WHO) report on the health of refugees and migrants confirms that migration and displacement are key determinants of a person’s health and wellbeing, and often leads to poorer health outcomes.
“The report confirms our experience in Australia that government services are often not responsive to the many complex needs of migrant and refugee communities, and this requires urgent attention,” said Mohammad Al-Khafaji, CEO of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) and Co-Chair of the Australian Multicultural Health Collaborative (AMHC).
The Collaborative was recently launched to provide leadership, address health inequities, and advocate for better health outcomes for refugee and migrant communities.
“The Collaborative was established to address systemic barriers which deny many refugees, migrants, and multicultural communities access to the health care everyone should have a right to,” said Marina Chand, Co-Founder of the World Wellness Group and Co-Chair of the Collaborative.
“We look forward to working with the Australian Government towards achieving greater health equity and better health outcomes for all Australians,” said Mr. Al-Khafaji.
“Australia is healthier and stronger only if everyone, including refugees and migrants, are able to access inclusive and responsive health services,” said Ms. Chand.
