Reliable data on migration and health are essential for designing evidence-based policies within the framework of the African Union’s Migration Policy Framework for Africa (MPFA) 2018–2030. A comprehensive understanding of migrants’ health needs requires ethically collected, anonymous, and inclusive quantitative and qualitative data. However, multiple challenges remain: disparities in national data collection systems, low standards, difficulties in reaching mobile or undocumented populations, and limited analytical capacity. To address these gaps, it is crucial to standardize indicators, centralize databases, disaggregate data (by sex, age, legal status, etc.), and strengthen national capacities. Efforts must extend beyond visible migrant groups (regular workers, refugees) to include those at the margins (nomads, undocumented migrants, trafficking victims) through sensitive, community-based approaches. Targeted surveys and qualitative studies can improve data reliability. Tools such as the IOM’s Data Portal, national migration profiles, and the ILO’s labor migration database are valuable but underutilized. The AU, with support from international organizations, should promote regular updates, accessibility, and ethical use of these data. Migrant involvement is vital to build trust, foster cooperation, and improve public health policies continent-wide. This chapter examines the challenges of aligning health policy with migration frameworks, highlighting institutional, administrative, and political barriers. Migration policies often prioritize security and administration, while health policies focus on nationals, creating tensions that hinder migrants’ access to care and impact overall public health. An integrated, multisectoral, and inclusive approach, including cross-border cooperation and sustainable investment, is indispensable to achieving universal health coverage in Africa.
Multidimensional approaches towards migrant health in the African Union
Authors
Centre for Rural Development (SLE) and GIZ African Union Office
Type of publication
Study
Status
Type of projcect
Edition and year
2021
DOI
Language
English
Country
African Union
