El Salvador - IOM last week organized two meetings in El Salvador and Guatemala to support national strategies to promote the right to health of irregular migrants, returnees and families left behind in communities of origin.

On November 3rd in Guatemala City, IOM presented the findings of a research project carried out in coordination with the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) entitled: “Study on the Status of Health, Access to Services, the Specific Risks and Vulnerabilities of Migration in Guatemala”.

On November 4th in San Salvador it hosted a validation workshop for: “The Protocol on Integrated Health Care of Migrant Returnees”.

Participants at the two events included representatives from the two countries Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs, PAHO / WHO, UNFPA, USAID, DGME, CONMIGRANTES, PDDH, USCRI and the Guatemalan Returnees Association.

IOM’s Chief of Mission for El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, Jorge Peraza Breedy, said: “These meetings are a platform to promote actions, plans, strategies and programs that address the health needs of migrants and their communities of origin in both countries."

The meetings were part of a regional IOM project: “Strengthening Capacities of Governments of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala to Address Health of Migrants from a Multisector Approach,” financed by the IOM Development Fund.

For further information, please contact Alba Miriam Amaya at IOM El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, Tel: 503. 25210500, Email: aamaya@iom.int