A scoping review of return migrant health in sub-Saharan Africa identifies three actionable priority areas for health system reform. First, broken medical record transfer systems prevent healthcare providers from accessing prior diagnoses and treatments, compromising clinical decision-making and continuity. Second, financial barriers persist even among migrants with improved earnings, suggesting systemic pricing or insurance barriers rather than income alone. Third, local health systems lack specialized expertise for migrant-specific conditions and mental health needs, including migration-related trauma and stress disorders.
These findings indicate that successful return migration requires more than economic improvement. Health systems must establish international medical record protocols, implement migrant-inclusive financing mechanisms, and build clinical capacity for migration-related health challenges. Policy coordination between origin and destination countries is essential to support the health trajectories of returning populations and prevent reversals in health gains achieved abroad.
Was this article helpful?
