Promote Vaccinations among Migrant Populations in Europe
The general objective of this project is to promote immunizations among migrant populations in Europe
PROMOVAX
- Title: Promote Vaccinations among Migrant Populations in Europe (PROMOVAX)
- Funders: Executive Agency for Health & Consumers
- Duration: 36 months ( 2010-2013)
- RUBSI is an Associate Partner
Thegeneral objective of this project is to promote immunizations amongmigrant populations in Europe.
Immunization of migrants is a highpriority issue for the EU health program within the context of reachinghard to reach populations. Reaching to migrants plays an important rolein achieving measles and congenital rubella infection elimination forthe year 2010, target set by WHO, maintaining polio-free status of theEuropean Region and control of other vaccine-preventable diseases.
Thereport on the workshop of vaccination strategy, conducted in Luxemburg13-14 February 2008, summarizes the actions needed to reach the WHOpublic health targets.
These include addressing hard to reachpopulations and migrant populations in particular, ensuring equalopportunities for access to health care and free vaccination, takingevery opportunity to advise on vaccination upon every encounter withhealth services and implement vaccination programs for migrants withshort time of arrival and addressing the language barrier.
As afirst step PROMOVAX project will investigate the origin, demographicsas well as information in regards to immunization coverage, culture andattitude towards immunizations among the major ethnicities migratingthe European countries.
Subsequently we will review migrantimmunization practices in different European countries by reaching allinvolved parties, Governments (particularly migrant admittingauthorities), NGOs providing migrant care and internationalorganizations. We will identify best practices as well as missedopportunities and gaps in migrant immunizations. An algorithmicapproach will be developed in order to address individual migrantimmunization needs, depending on factors such as age, gender, countryof origin, occupation, living conditions etc.
The methodology alongwith information on immunization schedules in migrant countries andresources for dissemination will be included in a tool-kit format forhealth professional use.
Finally, immunization promotion material formigrants will be developed in the format of a handbook. This willinclude lay information on immunizations and will be created in alinguistically and culturally appropriate fashion, with thecontribution of health communicators, cultural mediators and migrantleaders
PROMOVAX will bring together different institutions andorganizations in the disciplines of migrant health, migrant workershealth, public health as well as immunizations and will form a networkof communication and collaboration in the area. The project targetshealth professionals, migrants and policy makers in an effort topromote immunizations among migrant populations in Europe.
The toolkit,which will be easily downloadable from the project’s website, willfacilitate migrant vaccination needs assessment and will advanceimmunization knowledge and culture sensitivity among healthprofessionals. The immunization promotion material for migrants willpromote their vaccine related health literacy and will support aprevention culture perspective. Moreover, and based on the identifiedbest practices we will form recommendations for policy makers.
Throughspillover effects PROMOVAX aims to contribute to the improvement of theprovided general migrant health in Europe. Immunizations could serve asa vehicle to provide primary care, other preventative and screeningservices, as well as education to the migrants.
The PROMOVAX project targets 3 groups
1.The primary target population of this project is the documented migrantpopulation in the countries of the European Union. By documentedmigrants we mean people whose entry, residence and whose relevantemployment in a host or transit country has been recognized andauthorized by the official State authorities. However, we expect thatthrough spillover effects this project will also reach undocumentedmigrants as well. More specifically we aim to use migrants’ socialnetworks, such as religious or other type of gatherings, cafeterias,migrant press through which we hope to reach both documented andundocumented migrants. Moreover, migrant representatives as well ascultural mediators will be included in the development of the migranteducational material.
2. In addition, PROMOVAX targets healthcare workers and other care givers providing for migrants in theEuropean countries. We primarily aim to include health care workersfrom NGOs providing for migrants, in the elaboration and evaluation ofthe projects outputs.
3. Furthermore, the project targets policy makers in its effort to promote immunizations among migrant populations in Europe.
21st May. 2010