Unsafe havens? Health risks for refugees

A new study is looking at a century of mass migrations worldwide to understand the public health consequences when people are forced to flee from war, persecution and natural disaster. Since biblical times, mass migrations have followed conflict and crises - Professor Andy Cliff As the humanitarian crisis in Syria continues to unfold, over two million people are thought to have crossed the borders into neighbouring countries. Desperate, empty-handed and facing an uncertain future, most of the refugees will seek aid and support in camps, where they will be exposed to yet another threat: infectious disease. High population densities, malnutrition, poor sanitation, sexual violence and reduced access to healthcare following forced migration can create a 'perfect storm' where communicable diseases become a major cause of mortality and morbidity. And it's far from a recent problem. Over 600,000 cases of cholera have been recorded in Haiti since the earthquake of 2010, which displaced up to 2.3 million people. Cholera was also responsible for some 50,000 deaths in 1994 among refugees of the Rwandan genocide.