To address these challenges and promote better access to healthcare services for migrants who use drugs, a Delphi study engaged 57 European experts from various work fields across 24 countries. As a result of the study, 15 actionable recommendations were formulated. The study’s findings and recommendations are now available in the recently published research paper titled “Drug use and access to drug dependency services for vulnerable migrants who use drugs in the European Union: Consensus statements and recommendations from civil society experts in Europe.”

The study emphasizes the significance of European-level collaboration and cross-sectoral cooperation in delivering improved and more accessible healthcare services to migrants who use drugs. It also suggests that the establishment of an EU expert committee on migration and health, as well as the development of EU guidelines on migrant and drug services, can contribute to enhancing the quality and availability of these services. These initiatives aim to ensure that service improvements are based on reliable data.

Furthermore, the paper advocates for the inclusion of migrants in the development of health services and highlights the importance of ensuring easy accessibility to services for undocumented migrants. Additionally, the study emphasizes the need for psychological screening to be incorporated into these services.

The research was conducted as part of the Services for vulnerable MIgrants who use Drugs in the EU (SEMID-EU) project, which received funding from the European Union’s Justice Programme—Drugs Policy Initiatives. The project’s objective is to gain a deeper understanding of the needs of migrants who use drugs and enhance local responses based on this knowledge.

To access the research paper, click here.