Abstract
This study is a documentary research and aimed to study and review the contents of international cooperation frameworks at global, regional and national levels concerning issues on migration management and health care provision for migrant workers and cross-national populations and health collaboration frameworks between Thailand and Mekong sub-region countries, especially Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar as well as mechanisms for implementation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the international cooperation frameworks. Results of the study revealed that global and regional international cooperation frameworks, with selected criteria mentioned above, have provided concepts and guiding principles for migration management and promotion of migrant and refugee health, which are harmoniously interlinked and aimed to realize the sustainable development goals (SDGs) that facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people (SDG target 10.7) and ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages (SDG goal 3) including achieve universal health coverage (SDG target 3.8). The concepts and guiding principles can be applied by member countries as guidelines for dealing with problems and issues related to migrant workers and cross-national populations or can be used as conceptual frameworks for developing additional agreements to address the issues with countries of mutual interests. Since health management for migrant workers cannot be carried out alone by one country, collaboration and cooperation among the countries of origin or the sending countries and countries of destination or receiving countries are required. As movement of migrant workers can provide both positive and negative impacts on the economic development of countries and the region, integration of migrant health management as a public health issue of international cooperation in existing regional economic cooperation frameworks, such as ACMECS and GMS will help mobilize resources and efforts from member countries to address this issue in more effective and concrete ways, thus, makes the migration to be a positive impact for the overall economic development of the member countries and the region. Recommendations for better dealing with the challenges on provision of health services for migrants and cross-border population have been emphasized on the development of health and health-related policies to solve the obstacles at national level, such as to integrate primary care services or community-based health care provided at migrant community health centers with support and assistance of migrant health workers and migrant health volunteers to be a part of existing universal health insurance system for migrant workers and cross-border population, and the development of bilateral and multilateral international cooperation to mobilize efforts and collaboration in order to reduce negative impacts to the overall economic and social development of the region.
