Increased influx of migrants in Lampedusa, Italy

2012 In the context of the evolving crisis in north Africa, and in particular the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, a meeting between the Italian Minister of Health, Professor Ferruccio Fazio, and the WHO Regional Director for Europe, Zsuzsanna Jakab, took place. This resulted in the WHO Regional Office for Europe assessment mission to Italy. The main objectives of this mission were to review the current situation of the displaced populations arriving in Italy as a result of the crisis in north Africa; and to assess the level of preparedness of the Italian health system to cope with the public health consequences of a potential mass influx. The purpose was to provide reommendations on how to improve the international coordination and cooperation of preparedness efforts.