Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users
to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response
is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual
response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the
browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published
online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed.
Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles.
The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being
wilfully misrepresented as published articles or when it is brought to our
attention that a response spreads misinformation.
From March 2022, the word limit for rapid responses will be 600 words not
including references and author details. We will no longer post responses
that exceed this limit.
The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
Life is precious act at once to save migrants and refugees when they are diseased
Ratified international human rights standards and conventions exist to protect the rights of migrants and refugees, including their right to health. Nevertheless, many refugees and migrants often lack access to health services and financial protection for health.
The recent large-scale population movement has posed epidemiological and health system challenges, to which public health and health systems must adjust.
As per WHO there are an estimated 1 billion migrants in the world today of whom 258 million are international migrants and 763 million internal migrants (one in seven of the world’s population). 68 million of the world’s internal and international migrants are forcibly displaced today. This rapid increase of population movement has important public health implications, and therefore requires an adequate response from the health sector.
As human beings, health of an individual or a group should not be discriminated on the basis of age sex race religion Socioeconomic status and on immigration and citizenship status.
It is the duty of all health personnel to provide health care services to the refugees without any denial or delay in the form of documents verification etc.
Life is precious and act at once to save migrants and refugees
Competing interests:
No competing interests
01 June 2019
M.A. Aleem
Emeritus Professor of Neurology * Visiting Specialist in Neurology ** Consultant Neurologist ***
A.M.Hakkim
The Tamilnadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University * Dhanalakshami Srinivasan Medical College ** ABC Hospital ***
Chennai 600032* Perambalure 621212** Trichy 620018*** Tamilnadu India
Re: Inequities in healthcare
Life is precious act at once to save migrants and refugees when they are diseased
Ratified international human rights standards and conventions exist to protect the rights of migrants and refugees, including their right to health. Nevertheless, many refugees and migrants often lack access to health services and financial protection for health.
The recent large-scale population movement has posed epidemiological and health system challenges, to which public health and health systems must adjust.
As per WHO there are an estimated 1 billion migrants in the world today of whom 258 million are international migrants and 763 million internal migrants (one in seven of the world’s population). 68 million of the world’s internal and international migrants are forcibly displaced today. This rapid increase of population movement has important public health implications, and therefore requires an adequate response from the health sector.
As human beings, health of an individual or a group should not be discriminated on the basis of age sex race religion Socioeconomic status and on immigration and citizenship status.
It is the duty of all health personnel to provide health care services to the refugees without any denial or delay in the form of documents verification etc.
Life is precious and act at once to save migrants and refugees
Competing interests: No competing interests