As of the beginning of the migrant crisis in 2015 until today, Serbia has been an important link in the process of receiving and accommodating refugees, migrants and asylum seekers on the Western Balkan route to the European Union (EU).
A large number of asylum seekers, migrants and refugees come from different parts of the world every day, and the largest groups came from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. However, as this population is not static, the number of people coming in and out indicated a significant fluctuation of the migrant population. According to the estimates of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, in the period from May 2018 to the end of June 2019, over 27,000 migrants passed through Serbia.
The refugee and migration crisis along the Western Balkan route has put particularly great pressure on Serbia, and one of the main challenges faced by the Serbian migration management system has been to provide adequate healthcare to all migrants and refugees in Serbia. In addition, the share of vulnerable groups in the migrant population included a significant increase in the number of unaccompanied children and children separated from parents, minors, women, persons with disabilities, as well as victims of sexual, domestic and other forms of violence, including victims of human trafficking.
Serbia is adjusting to the health needs of migrants and asylum seekers. So far, the Serbian healthcare system has tried to cover most health needs, but is hampered by very limited funds available from the state budget. In 2018, through the project "EU Support to Serbia in Migration Management" TF-MADAD/2017/T04.86) funds were provided to cover the costs of healthcare and the full scope of treatment provided by public health institutions in Serbia to the migrant population.
In 2018 and the first half of 2019, the public health system of Serbia provided health care to migrants at all three levels of healthcare (primary, secondary and tertiary), namely: in 62 health institutions, of which: 9 general hospitals, 17 health canters, 4 clinical hospital canters, 3 specialist hospitals, 3 clinical canters, 12 tertiary level institutions, 12 institutes of public health, the Institute of Virology and Serums "Torlak" in Belgrade and the Institute of Biocides and Medical Ecology.
The identified challenges of the health system in providing healthcare to the migrant population have been overcome through the following activities:
- Providing health care to the migrant population in transit reception canters and asylum canters
- Providing hygienic and sanitary conditions for people staying in government reception centres
- Provision of vaccines for underage migrants
- Better screening to cover sexual and reproductive health
- Sustainable financing of secondary and tertiary care
- Sustainable funding for services provided by public health institutes
- Adequate supply of the migrant population with medicines, mainstream medicines, medical devices, medical supplies, as well as provision of medical aids
- Providing rehabilitation for patients in need of long-term recovery based on clinical indications
The Institute of Public Health of Serbia "Dr Milan Jovanović Batut", together with the network of institutes/institutes of public health (24), performs activities in the field of public health, both in regular and emergency situations, with the basic goal of preserving and improving the health of people in Republic of Serbia.
In accordance with the central role within the health information system in the Republic of Serbia, and as a response to the emergency situation caused by the large influx of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers (hereinafter migrants/refugees), the Institute of Public Health of Serbia "Dr Milan Jovanovic Trampoline” has established a unique and modern way of recording (information system), collecting, processing and analysing health-related data of the migrant/refugee population in the Republic of Serbia.
The main goal of establishing an information system for health surveillance of the migrant/refugee population was to provide the necessary data and information that enabled:
- Coordination of activities on the implementation of effective health surveillance measures,
- Identification of risks from infectious diseases, monitoring the implementation of preventive measures, as well as the implementation of control measures to prevent the occurrence, control and monitoring of imported infectious diseases,
- Monitoring the work of health care institutions and other organizations (number, type and territorial distribution) that participate in the health care of migrants and records the types and number of services provided.
With closing of the Balkan Route, the nature of migration has changed. Instead of a transit country, where migrants usually stayed from a few hours to a few days, Serbia has become a permanent or temporary destination where migrants stay much longer trying to cross into the territory of the European Union. Such a change in the characteristics of migration required the adaptation and improvement of the information system for the collection, processing and analysis of health-related data of the migrant/refugee population, which was made possible by donor funds.