Abstract
Migration is a global phenomenon. Thailand is currently the destination country with the largest population of migrant workers in ASEAN. Urbanization has attracted large numbers of migrants to cities and/or metropolis. Three main urban health challenges are infectious disease outbreaks due to overcrowded housing, chronic NCDs due to unhealthy urban lifestyle, and accidental injuries due to work risks. The Urban Migrant Health Survey and Enhancing Private Sector Role in Migrant Health System Development research project aims to develop the health service system that meet the health needs of migrant workers in urban areas, and promote the participation of private sector. The research methodology was a combination of quantitative and qualitative with documentary research. It consists of an assessment of migrant workers' health problems in Bangkok Metropolitan region, interviews, focus groups, and literature review. The data collection include face-to-face surveys from 432 migrant workers, 54 entrepreneurs and 81 health service providers, interviews with 20 migrant workers, 49 entrepreneurs, 3 health service providers, and 3 government officials, as well as 3 focus group meetings among expert and 2 future scenario meetings among entrepreneurs. Literature review emphasizes on six building block of migrant health system in developed countries and Bangkok Metropolitan. The documentary research findings are that the core idea underlying established migrant health system in developed countries is allocating migrant health rights according to their level of economic and social participation. Two major obstacles of migrant health system in Thai metropolis are the lack of migrant health policy in urban development policy and bias towards migrant workers in policy processes and health service provision. Therefore, it is necessary to tackle both by establish the share vision of an urban health system integrating migrant workers and promote the paradigm shift towards migrant workers integration as a participant in the urban economic and social development. In parallel, policies on proactive health service provision to cover dense urban migrant communities and health finance that covers all groups of migrant workers are introduced. These are supported by systematic management of migrant health database management system and enhancing the participation level of employers and migrants in the inclusive urban health system development.
