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For International Migrants Day Oluwakemi Agunbiade, Senior Research & Policy Officer, said:
This International Migrants Day, we celebrate the inclusion of tailored health interventions for migrant communities in the HIV Action Plan. At the same time, we recognise fighting for the health and wellbeing of everyone in this country is harder against a backdrop of systemic barriers and anti-migrant sentiment.
As a health organisation, some people might not think it’s in our remit to champion these issues. However, health, wellbeing and HIV care is directly impacted by people’s quality of life, freedom to work and live and their mental health.
Unfortunately, people will imply health inequalities faced by migrant communities are because of the people rather than a system – but we know that this is not true.
The poor living conditions of those in immigration detention and asylum ‘hotels’, the policies that prevent people seeking asylum from working or claiming benefits and the working conditions of migrant care workers should all be priorities in public health policy, research and support.
In 2018, we successfully campaigned for an end to data sharing between the Home Office with NHS digital. However, data sharing with the Home Office still occurs in other instances within the NHS.
This practice prevents healthcare institutions from reaching vulnerable people, as they fear any information shared will be used against them.
On top of this, we celebrate all of the people from migrant communities who have shaped and influenced the progress we’ve seen in the UK to end HIV transmission and improve the lives of people living with HIV.
None of this is possible without their voices.
National AIDS Trust will not only continue to challenge harmful rhetoric and harsh legislation but also continue to work with migrant communities, ensuring they get to direct the conversation around their needs for HIV prevention, treatment and care.