“If the person dies the picture remains in my mind”. Experiences of healthcare workers in the provision of healthcare services to migrants in Botswana

Abstract

Abstract Background In recent years, cross-border migration has received significant attention in high-level political dialogues in many countries. While there exists some literature describing the health status of migrants, and examining how migrants perceive service use in receiving countries, there seems to be little focus on the perspectives of healthcare providers and the challenges they face in providing healthcare in encounter migrant environments. This study sought to investigate the perceptions and attitudes of healthcare providers in managing care for migrants, as well as to examine the challenges and barriers faced in their practices. Methods This study used a descriptive qualitative. Twenty healthcare workers participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were conducted between May 2019 and July 2019. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Healthcare professionals in different services experience similar difficulties when providing care to migrants. Healthcare providers reported that they experienced several challenges when dealing with migrants which include: problems related to the referral of migrant patients; lack of knowledge of the healthcare system on the part of migrants; language barriers; payment barriers; constraints on the provision of healthcare to migrants; and migrants are tricky people. Conclusion There is a need to provide medical staff with practical tools through training to ensure they are committed to providing quality care to vulnerable migrants groups. More attention should be paid to healthcare workers and migrant patients by providing effective strategies to enhance dialogues between the two parties for effective communication. Public health policies should be inclusive of migrant population to avoid conflicting decisions between professional integrity and policy statements.