Migrant Health Alliance Ireland

20/10/2026

18/03/2026

Thank you to our community. Your voices matter💚

We would like to sincerely thank the migrant women and men who participated in our recent research on cervical screening and bowel screening.

Your openness, honesty, and willingness to share your experiences have made an important contribution to improving understanding of health screening within the migrant communities.

This research was carried out by two masters' students Dr Prasanth Joseph .joseph and Dr Stephanie Busingye under the leadership and supervision of Prof Anne Macfarlane, University of Limerick in partnership with the National Screening Service, the Department of Health and supported by Migrant Health Alliance Ireland.

Your participation highlighted important issues such as
● Lack of awareness about screening services
● Barriers to accessing healthcare screening
● The need for better communication and community outreach
● Language barriers
● Busy work, school, and family issues
● Cultural and religious barriers
And many more.

Your voices will help improve awareness, access, and inclusion in screening services across Ireland.

We deeply appreciate the time, trust, and commitment of everyone who participated in this project. Together, we are helping to improve health awareness and equitable access to screening for migrant communities across Ireland.

02/03/2026

In honour of International Women’s Day 8th March, we are reminding all women across Ireland that your Health matters.

Breast and Cervical screening can save lives by finding problems early, most importantly before symptoms appear. Regular screening is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your health.

In Ireland, free screening is available for all eligible women. If you receive an invitation, please consider attending your appointment. It could make all the difference.

It is important to listen to your body. If you notice any unusual symptoms such as breast changes, unusual bleeding, persistent pain or anything that does not feel right, DO NOT IGNORE IT!

Speak to your GP or healthcare provider and seek advice

Many migrant women delay screening due to fear, lack of information, language barriers, fear of GP costs, or busy work and family schedules. This International Women’s Day, learn to make your health and wellbeing a priority. Support one another to access screening services.

Early detection saves lives!
Awareness saves lives!
Speaking up saves lives!
Asking for help saves lives!

If you are unsure about screening or need support accessing services, reach out. You are not alone.

For more information on Cervical or breast screening please contact the services below👇🏾

Cervical screening:
www2.hse.ie/conditions/cervical screening

Breast Screening:
Tel: 1800454555 or email: [email protected]

24/12/2025

May the joys of this season bring hope and love in our hearts. May we see reason to remember the good in everyone we meet as we embrace the new year to come.

From all of us at Migrant Health Alliance Ireland, we wish all of you a merry Christmas and a happy prosperous new year.

Be the light in someone's life this holiday season.

24/12/2025

Beautiful times of community love and togetherness bring joy, hope, and love for us all.

As we celebrate Christmas 2025, we are reminded that not everyone has the opportunity to spend the holiday period with family, friends or a loved one.

We should remember to extend a loving hand, a phone call to check in on those left alone during this cold and wet holiday season.

May we also remember those who are homeless, and those in direct provisions.

11/11/2025

Our migrant community was represented at the conference 2025.

We were honoured to have a stand at this Conference raising our voice for the migrant community in Ireland.

06/11/2025

Introducing our Interim CEO Dr Monica Peres Oikeh

🏫Dr Oikeh is one of the executive directors and pillars of Migrant Health Alliance Ireland, and has been instrumental in our work towards improving and advancing health promotion, education and access for the migrant communities.

🩺Dr Oikeh is a General Practitioner based in Cork and brings a wealth of expertise particularly in women's health.

🤗We are excited for her leadership and look forward to the future of accessible healthcare improvements for the migrant communities in Ireland.

Please give a welcome to our CEO🫶🏾🫱🏻‍🫲🏾

02/11/2025

Last week our Co-Founder and Managing Coordinator Lora Ruth Wogu , was invited to join a panel of speakers on improving patient and Public engagement in the design and development of clinical guidelines, as part of incorporating stakeholders' perspectives into evidence-based approaches to healthcare.

Her focus and representation focused on understanding the needs of the and the challenges they face in understanding and accessing the healthcare system. It was also important to highlight the need for health care providers, and policy makers to recognise the need for cultural sensitivity and Community integration during healthcare services provision to ensure accessible, equitable, equal, and inclusive services for all.

The panellists included;

🔹️Dr Ronan Glynn- Former Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health- Ireland

🔹️Prof. Susan Smith, GP and Clinical Lead for CICER

🔹️Lora Ruth Wogu- Co-founder Migrant Health Alliance Ireland, Founder & CEO Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Ireland and CEO- European Sickle Cell Federation .federation

🔹️Dr Helen Bulbeck - Co-Founder of Brain Trust

🔹️Dr Danielle Po***ck, Lived Experience researcher and Methodologist.

The thought-provoking discussion and insightful event were organised by the Royal College of Surgeons Population Health- RCSI, in partnership with the Health Information and Quality Authority- HIQA.

Photo credit: Hiqa and RCSI