Comparing the global map against the places where migration affects health most shows six gaps. Several fall squarely in the Caucasus, Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
| Gap | Evidence | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. No regional hub for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia | All WHO Collaborating Centres on migration and health are in Western and Central Europe (INMP) | The region has one of the world’s largest labour-migration corridors |
| 2. Labour migration is under-studied | Research and funding focus on refugees; labour migrants appear mainly in NGO and International Organization for Migration (IOM) projects | TB and MDR-TB among migrants reported at 2.5 times the general population in Russia; low access to HIV treatment (ECUO) |
| 3. The origin-country perspective is missing | Most models are destination-country models | Georgia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are mainly emigration countries: returning migrants, families left behind |
| 4. Health workforce emigration is treated separately | Handled by WHO, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and International Labour Organization (ILO), rarely linked to migrant health | Georgia and its neighbours lose doctors and nurses abroad |
| 5. Evidence and training rarely exist in Georgian or Russian | Journals, courses and guidance are overwhelmingly in English | Health workers in the region cannot easily use the evidence base |
| 6. Data are weak | WHO created a collaborating centre specifically for migration and health data (Uppsala) | Migration status is rarely recorded in health information systems in the region |
Where PHIG can contribute
- Languages: PHIG works in Georgian, English and Russian — the working languages of the region.
- Publishing: the Georgian Medical Journal publishes regional evidence openly, with Crossref DOIs.
- Training: GMJ Academy can adapt WHO competency standards and open courses for health workers in the region.
- Public reach: the Sheni network reaches Georgians at home and in the diaspora with health information.
- Setting: Georgia is a country of origin, transit and destination, with internally displaced people — a realistic place for regional dialogue.