Migrant healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: why we should worry about health systems and governance

Migrant healthcare workers played a crucial role in maintaining healthcare delivery and resilience of the health system during the COVID-19, but were largely absent from pandemic policy, and the literature highlights inequalities and structural racism. This webinar calls for greater attention to migrant HCWs. However, simply adding the migration status is not enough. We introduce an intersectional health system-based approach. Results from the German PROTECT project will be contrasted with the situation in the United Kingdom and Brazil, where evidence of disadvantages of migrant healthcare workers seem to be strongest. Key stakeholders in the field will comment and add evidence from a health system, management, profession and policy perspective, thus stimulating critical debate and policy solutions.

Programme

Introduction
Ellen Kuhlmann and Marius Ungureanu

Germany: Migrant healthcare workers and hidden inequalities in a well-resourced health system with more effective COVID-19 pandemic governance
Ellen Kuhlmann, Hannover Medical School, Germany

Brazil: Migrant healthcare workers and intersecting inequalities in a COVID-19 pandemic setting shaped by populist politics
Giordano Magri and Gabriela Lotta, Getulio Vargas Foundation, Sao Paulo, Brazil

United Kingdom: Migrant healthcare workers and structural inequalities in an underfunded European NHS system
Maria Panagioti, NIHR Greater Manchester, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care, United Kingdom

Comments
• Michelle Falkenbach, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, Brussels
• Sarada Das, Secretary General of CPME – Standing Committee of European Doctors
• George Valiotis, Director of the European Health Management Association

Q&A and discussion