The Pandemic Centre to lead working group on migration and pandemics

EUPHA is a large organization made up of various European public health associations. The organization also has sub-groups that work specifically on selected topics. During a meeting in Dublin last year, it was decided that a group should be set up to work specifically on "Pandemics and emergency preparedness".

It is now clear that the Pandemic Center at UiB will lead this working group with a focus on migration.

- The idea is to bring together all the interests within EUPHA in this field to collaborate on research and communication. How to connect European forces to build on existing cooperation, says center manager Esperanza Diaz.

Diaz says this is important to highlight the broad experience that the Pandemic Center already has on migration, also at an international level.

She adds that leading the working group is recognition of the work that has been done, and that there is a need to share this knowledge with the european partners. 

PhD candidate Pierina Benavente and postdoc Prabhjot Kour will both have a central role in the working group together with Esperanza Diaz. Several of the master's students associated with the Pandemic Center will also contribute their knowledge from projects that have dealt with migrants.

According to the plan, a new meeting will be held in Lisbon in November where the results of this work will be presented.