Exploring health implications associated with irregular migration from Ghana to Libya and beyond

Abstract

Although there have been several negative media reports on the plight of
irregular migrants from Ghana, research on issues related to their health
has been rather scanty. The study assesses health implications associated
with irregular migration from Ghana using both the Techiman and
Nkoranza Municipalities as a case study. Through a snowball sampling
technique, 237 return migrants from Libya were interviewed using
questionnaire (200) and in-depth interviews (37). Not only were the
migrants predisposed to dehydration, malnutrition/undernourishment and
physical exhaustion due to long periods of walking with inadequate water
and food, but also fatalities were common among them. Reportedly, 17
migrants fell sick and died in the desert when their vehicle lost its direction
compelling them to walk more than one week, while some 15 others from the
study areas drowned in their attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea into
Europe. The migrants mostly live and work under poor conditions, thus
some had pneumonia while others died in their ghettos (uncompleted
buildings) due to excessive cold conditions in winter. Irregular migration is
pursued at the cost of the health and life of the migrants. One option for
addressing irregular migration from Ghana is to provide skills training and
seed capital or job opportunities for young school leavers who could not
further their education after the Junior High School or Senior High School.