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Health Status and Health Care Needs of Drought-Related Migrants in the Horn of Africa—A Qualitative Investigation

Kristina Lindvall, John Kinsman, Atakelti Abraha, Abdirisak Dalmar, Mohamed Farah Abdullahi, Hagos Godefay, Lelekoitien Lerenten Thomas, Mohamed Osman Mohamoud, Bile Khalif Mohamud, Jairus Musumba and Barbara Schumann
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Kristina Lindvall: Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
John Kinsman: Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
Atakelti Abraha: Health Insurance Agency, Federal Ministry of Health, 1000 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Abdirisak Dalmar: Somali Disaster Resilience Institute (SDRI), Mogadishu, Somalia
Mohamed Farah Abdullahi: Department of Research and Development, Puntland University of Science and Technology, Galkayo, Puntland, Somalia
Hagos Godefay: Tigray Regional Health Bureau, Tigray, 07 Mekelle, Ethiopia
Lelekoitien Lerenten Thomas: Climate Change Directorate, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Mohamed Osman Mohamoud: Sadar Institute, Borama, Somalia
Bile Khalif Mohamud: Support to Health Policy and System Development with Agenda for Research, Federal Ministry of Health, Mogadishu, Somalia
Jairus Musumba: Department of Public Health, Nairobi City County Government, 00400 Nairobi, Kenya
Barbara Schumann: Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 16, 1-18

Abstract: Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, situated in the Horn of Africa, are highly vulnerable to climate change, which manifests itself through increasing temperatures, erratic rains and prolonged droughts. Millions of people have to flee from droughts or floods either as cross-border refugees or as internally displaced persons (IDPs). The aim of this study was to identify knowledge status and gaps regarding public health consequences of large-scale displacement in these countries. After a scoping review, we conducted qualitative in-depth interviews during 2018 with 39 stakeholders from different disciplines and agencies in these three countries. A validation workshop was held with a selection of 13 interviewees and four project partners. Malnutrition and a lack of vaccination of displaced people are well-known challenges, while mental health problems and gender-based violence (GBV) are less visible to stakeholders. In particular, the needs of IDPs are not well understood. The treatment of mental health and GBV is insufficient, and IDPs have inadequate access to essential health services in refugee camps. Needs assessment and program evaluations with a patients’ perspective are either lacking or inadequate in most situations. The Horn of Africa is facing chronic food insecurity, poor population health and mass displacement. IDPs are an underserved group, and mental health services are lacking. A development approach is necessary that moves beyond emergency responses to the building of long-term resilience, the provision of livelihood support and protection to reduce displacement by droughts.

Keywords: climate change; drought; migration; displacement; health; health care; Horn of Africa; Somalia; Ethiopia; Kenya; knowledge needs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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