Fourteen individuals from Ireland and from Northern Ireland  participated in Women’s Health & Wellness programme in Boston and Detroit on the 11-21^st of May.

Participants, including Emilia Marchelewska of Cairde and other health, public policy, NGO, and counselling professionals (HSE, Safe Ireland, Crisis Pregnancy Agency, Cork Alliance Centre, Pavee Point – from ROI) examined ways to promote women’s wellness and mobility in society, including encouraging continuing education, training for returning to the workforce, achieving work/life balance, financial management, domestic violence prevention, health maintenance and routine medical checkups.

The programme is sponsored by the Irish Institute at the Centre for Irish Programmes, Boston College, and the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Ethnic Minority Health Forum took place on the May, 12th, 2010. The meeting was to introduce Cairde’s work with Temple St. Hospital, update on changes and translations on Cairde’s website, inform about Medical Card application procedure, brief on EMHF Survey of Chinese, Roma community, etc.., and findings. During the discussion several health problems for ethnic minorities were identified.

There are number of barriers to access health services in Ireland: Lack of information of health services available, Lack of understanding of how the Irish health system works, Wariness to use services, based on shyness, embarrassment, fear of the unknown, Communication problems. There are also issues with accessing a GP found. Also participants stressed a need for exchange of information between organisations led and advocating on behalf of immigrants.

For more information contact Junyu at email hidden; JavaScript is required