Public health needs of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Europe, 2015: Infectious disease aspects.

Abstract

In the first 10 months of 2015 the total number of asylum applications to the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) recorded by European Union (EU) countries exceeded the 1 million mark, an unprecedented level since the establishment of the EU. Syria has been the most common country of origin of asylum applications, followed by Afghanistan and Iraq.1 However, these figures do not take unregistered migrants into account: in the same time period, 500 000 undocumented border crossing detections were recorded on the EU’s external borders, according to Frontex.2 In the light of these developments, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) assessed the public health needs of migrants or individuals that are applying for asylum or refugee status, through: (i) interviews with 14 experts from Member States and Non-Governmental Organizations with first-hand experience working with migrant populations (7–11 August 2015); (ii) a non-systematic review of available evidence (peer-reviewed publications and relevant ECDC risk assessments); and (c) an expert meeting on the prevention of infectious diseases among newly arrived migrants in the EU and European Economic Area (EEA) (12–13 November 2015).3–5 A recurrent theme across all the expert consultations conducted by ECDC was the need to establish a reception system for newly arrived migrants. In primary reception centres, a health assessment should be carried out immediately upon arrival. Equipping these reception areas with primary care and public health services facilitates screening, vaccination and treatment (if required) of individuals free of charge. The organisers of reception areas should consider adequately stocking them with rapid tests (e.g. for malaria) and providing instant treatment and care to patients. Such rapid interventions are the best course of action to detect and prevent onwards spread of cases of infectious disease, through the identification and management of infectious diseases with potential for …