Nairobi - On March 23, 2024, the delegation of the United States (US) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm met with IOM Kenya Chief of Mission, Sharon Dimanche, IOM Regional Health Assessment Programme Coordinator for Africa, Dr. Dmitry Shapovalov, and IOM Chief Migration Health Officer for Kenya, Dr Mukunda Singh Basnet, at the IOM Migration Health Assessment Center in Nairobi, Kenya. They were accompanied by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Global Migration Health team based in Kenya.

The meeting aimed to recognize the historic relationship between IOM and the United States, and the long-standing partnership with the US CDC on IOM pre-migration health activities for US-bound refugees.

The delegation included Loyce Pace, Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs and Mandy K. Cohen, Director of the CDC and Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Discussions centered around the processes involved in pre-migration health activities, including Pre-departure medical procedures, for prospective refugees to the United States of America.

In addition, the delegation had an opportunity to interact and hear from refugee families who would be departing shortly for resettlement to the US.

The visit reaffirmed the critical role CDC and IOM play in building and sustaining global health security while protecting public health and ensuring the safety of communities along the migration pathway.