The activity of noncommercial organizations providing medical social care to migrants in conditions of COVID-19.

Abstract

The article considers actual topic concerning acquisition by migrant associations of certain importance in the public sphere of different countries. The analysis demonstrated that these public structures begin to act as actors of intersectorial cooperation within the framework of state policy in the fields of migration and health care. It is substantiated that various institutions of civil society remained in shadow of state and commercial structures for a long time. Only recently, Russian socially oriented noncommercial organizations acquired status of suppliers of social services, including medical social care of population. At that, they became a subject of cooperation in order to provide medical social care to population, which is provided not only to Russian citizens within the framework of mandatory medical insurance, but also to migrants. It is proved that during the pandemic, many noncommercial organizations expanded scope of cooperation with government, business and public structures of medical and social profile. Some noncommercial organizations that were originally organized as associations of migrants and had character of diasporas are now legitimate NGOs. Such organizational and functional changes can be interpreted as a result of development in the field of care of migrants and their integration into the Russian noncommercial sector. As a consequence of transnational commitment of migrants themselves and their interest in development of their native countries. Also, as a result of institutional integration, and consequence of spreading of COVID-19 and intensification of need in medical and social care to countrymen and their families. It is concluded that institutional changes allow NGOs to establish more open relations with associations of migrants of various origins, as well as to attract additional resources for planning, financing and implementing projects that are strategically important both for survival of organizations themselves and for helping migrants in pandemic conditions.