Migrant health, antimicrobial resistance, HIV, hepatitis and access to care in europe focus on the mediterranean area

Migrants, refugees and other socially marginalised populations in Europe continue to face a disproportionate burden of infectious diseases, delayed diagnosis, fragmented continuity of care, and unequal access to prevention and treatment services. These inequalities are particularly evident in the fields of HIV, tuberculosis, neglected and parasitic diseases, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and are often reinforced by legal, linguistic, social and structural barriers to healthcare access.

Within the Mediterranean area, where migration routes, informal settlements, agricultural labour settings and fragmented healthcare pathways frequently intersect, these challenges are especially visible. At the same time, this context offers important opportunities to strengthen collaboration among clinical centres, academic institutions, public health bodies and community-based organisations.

This two-day scientific meeting aims to provide a multidisciplinary forum to discuss current evidence, practical responses and future collaborative strategies in migrant health across Europe, with particular attention to the Mediterranean region. The meeting will also mark the official launch of the ADMIRE Project (Antibiotic Access and Use in Migrant and Refugee Populations in Europe), a multicountry initiative designed to assess healthcare access, antibiotic use and stewardship-related practices among migrant populations through a harmonised, WHO-aligned framework.

Through keynote lectures, thematic scientific sessions and an interactive project workshop, the meeting will review current evidence on HIV, tuberculosis, AMR and other infectious diseases among migrant populations; discuss barriers to diagnosis, treatment, retention in care and equitable healthcare access; introduce the ADMIRE tool, its methodological framework and implementation strategy; and strengthen collaboration among European clinical, academic and public health centres for future multicountry research and policy-relevant action.

The meeting is expected to consolidate a European network of centres working in migrant health, promote harmonised approaches to data collection and public health action, and support more equitable access to healthcare for migrant and refugee populations across Europe.