Compulsory screening of immigrants for TB and HIV
http://www.100md.com
《英国医生杂志》
EDITOR—Coker's editorial highlights the knee jerk response to immigrants and poorly thought through proposals for immigration policies.1 Immigration is a fact of life that needs apposite management rather than antagonism. Gains are to be achieved for all with properly structured programmes for immigrants.
Immigration has continued for centuries and has waxed and waned depending on international politics and economic and sociopolitical factors. According to the International Organisation for Migration, the total number of migrants worldwide was 84 million in 1975, which increased to 175 million by 2000.2 The predicted number of international migrants for 2050 is 230 million. Undoubtedly, these trends will bring new threats from communicable diseases to the health system in the United Kingdom. There would be more immigrants and asylum seekers followed by their dependants, and others will trail as visitors and tourists.
The challenge for European countries is to adopt a cohesive "immigration and health" policy that incorporates the issue of communicable diseases on the basis of evidence. Extreme caution should be exercised to prevent stigmatising or discriminating against a group or an individual on the basis of health related issues. An ill conceived, shortsighted attempt to screen immigrants for one or two communicable diseases may be misinterpreted. It could be seen as a tool to discourage immigrants and would be counter-productive.
Policy makers, health service providers, and international bodies should now join forces and produce practical and ethical policies to tackle the ever growing challenges from communicable disease.
Shahid A Khan, consultant physician
Lister Hospital, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 4AB shahidak@aol.com
Competing interests: None declared.
References
Coker R. Compulsory screening of immigrants for tuberculosis and HIV. BMJ 2004;328: 298-300. (7 February.)
International Organisation for Migration. Report. World migration 2003: managing migration. Challenges and responses for people on the move. New York: United Nations Publications, 2003.
Immigration has continued for centuries and has waxed and waned depending on international politics and economic and sociopolitical factors. According to the International Organisation for Migration, the total number of migrants worldwide was 84 million in 1975, which increased to 175 million by 2000.2 The predicted number of international migrants for 2050 is 230 million. Undoubtedly, these trends will bring new threats from communicable diseases to the health system in the United Kingdom. There would be more immigrants and asylum seekers followed by their dependants, and others will trail as visitors and tourists.
The challenge for European countries is to adopt a cohesive "immigration and health" policy that incorporates the issue of communicable diseases on the basis of evidence. Extreme caution should be exercised to prevent stigmatising or discriminating against a group or an individual on the basis of health related issues. An ill conceived, shortsighted attempt to screen immigrants for one or two communicable diseases may be misinterpreted. It could be seen as a tool to discourage immigrants and would be counter-productive.
Policy makers, health service providers, and international bodies should now join forces and produce practical and ethical policies to tackle the ever growing challenges from communicable disease.
Shahid A Khan, consultant physician
Lister Hospital, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 4AB shahidak@aol.com
Competing interests: None declared.
References
Coker R. Compulsory screening of immigrants for tuberculosis and HIV. BMJ 2004;328: 298-300. (7 February.)
International Organisation for Migration. Report. World migration 2003: managing migration. Challenges and responses for people on the move. New York: United Nations Publications, 2003.