Impact of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons on International Health
O. Ogbonna Brian *
N. Ezenekwe Lizette
Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
N. Nwako Charles
Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
P. Isidienu Chika
Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
C. Ikebudu Chiadichiem
Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
L. Nwankwo Ogechukwu
Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The 21st century has been marked with highest distribution of wars and conflicts at local, national, regional, and international levels in world history. This has increased greatly in the last decade with a growing number of internally displaced people (IDP), refugees, and those seeking asylum. This study discussed the growing impact of refugees and IDP’s on global health. Relevant data was extracted from official sites and publications of international aid agencies through electronic search. Electronic search was conducted between January 2015 and March 2016. The sources of information were MEDLINE, PUBMED, and Google search Information was sorted based on merit of relevance to the topic based on selected criteria using identified search words individually and stringed with additional search words where necessary. The trend and dynamics of refugees migration is predominantly from the underdeveloped to the developed nations of the world while that for IDPs is largely from the politically and economically unstable regions to the more economically and politically viable ones. Study showed increasing trend of displacement of people and migration across borders at the national and international level.
Keywords: Refugees, population, surveillance, migration, diseases, international health, internally displaced persons.