Prevention, testing and treatment services for migrant populations in relation to HIV, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections
Surveillance and monitoring
The aim of this report is to assess the current situation regarding availability and access to prevention, testing, and treatment services for migrant populations in the EU/EEA regarding HIV, TB, hepatitis, and STI, based on disease monitoring data collected by ECDC in 2024–2025.
Key findings
- Structural and social barriers continue to limit accessibility for migrants to health services. Legal restrictions, lack of health coverage, language obstacles, stigma, and discrimination all reduce opportunities for prevention, testing, and treatment. This contributes to continued transmission and widening health inequities.
- Migrant populations in the EU/EEA experience a disproportionately high burden of HIV, TB, and viral hepatitis. These infections – along with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – can be prevented through the adoption of similar public health measures.
- ECDC monitoring indicates that availability and access to services for migrant populations can be strengthened across the EU/EEA. While progress has been made, gaps in the equitable provision of services persist.
- Most countries include migrants in HIV and TB strategies, but rarely STI and hepatitis policies, and undocumented migrants are less frequently included in national guidance, across all disease areas.
- Prevention gaps remain. These include limited mention of migrant populations in guidance on pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV (PrEP), disproportionately low uptake of PrEP among migrant populations, limited implementation of systematic TB infection testing and provision of TB preventive treatment (TPT), and gaps in systematic testing of HBV and HBV vaccination for migrants.
- Opportunities for early diagnosis can be expanded. Migrant-friendly and user-friendly testing options such as community-based testing, self-sampling (home-testing), and self-testing for HIV and selected STIs, and mobile TB screening – remain unevenly available across countries.
- Treatment is generally provided for HIV and hepatitis B and C but is restricted in some countries for undocumented migrants. Although TB treatment is provided for all free of charge in nearly all countries, implementation gaps remain, including administrative barriers affecting continuity of care.
- To achieve SDG 3.3 targets, these gaps should be addressed to ensure equitable provision of prevention, testing, and treatment services for all migrants, across the EU/EEA.
Publication file
Prevention, testing and treatment services for migrant populations in relation to HIV, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections
English (573.34 KB - PDF)
