By Ntuv Tunka

ANJ Online - 9/18/07 -

Washington based U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) visited Twin Cities to forge and promote local partnerships with some of the non-profit organizations serving in the immigrant communities to improve on healthy living amongst refugees and immigrants, who before coming to the states have little or no idea about the importance of living a healthy life in a very hectic and busy life in States. It is a part of the USCRI’s outreach activities nationwide.

USCRI educates and assists refugees in living a healthy lifestyle, understanding the health care system and access the care needed to stay healthy and productive. 

The campaign of the committee ranges from promoting a healthy eating habit to routine medical exams for women, and a nationwide education on the AIDS epidemic and the prevention of its transmission. The committee notes that because refugees and new immigrants tend to have limited resources, they tend to disregard their health, either intentionally or unintentionally as they struggle with a culture and custom that is new to them.

Besides, issues of language access, cultural competence, and prenatal care; are a great barrier to an understanding of the importance of healthy living in the refugee and immigrant communities. The committee thus partners with local organizations to provide information on helping refugees and immigrants navigate health and human services for their families. It also carries out initiatives that address healthy living for these families.

On eating habits, the committee has found that most refugees and new immigrants tend to battle diabetes, obesity among children, and high cholesterol, the distinction of American overeating. Coupled with this, most Africans who come here want to make up for a lifetime in which they were denied meat, soda and food that wasn't rationed. In most states now, the committee is working with local governments in sending out dieticians to sift through the cupboards of African refugees to weed out unhealthy food. Teenagers of these refugee and immigrant families are also being enlisted to educate their parents on how to navigate U.S. supermarkets and find healthy food.

To achieve this all, the committee has developed a health tool kit which has been translated into several languages and made available to newly arrived refugees, resettlement agencies, clinics and community based organizations.  USCRI also works with public health officials, local and national health policy-makers to help recognize and address the particular barriers facing newly arrived refugees.

Through refugee and immigrant orientation sessions, case management, English as a Second Language instruction, and special education classes, USCRI partner agencies educate refugees about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and accessing the health care system. For more information about the works, programs and initiatives being carried out by USCRI to promote healthy living in the refugee and immigrant communities, visit their website at www.refugees.org