Meet Ana,* who recently asked for asylum at the US-Mexico border. She was very far along in her pregnancy, had had minimal prenatal care, and was moving from an immigration shelter at the border to a new city in the US, where she would await her immigration hearing. Luckily, the shelter has a relationship with Health Network, Migrant Clinicians Network’s virtual case management program that is free for migrants and asylum seekers. Ana was enrolled on the spot, to connect her with a Health Network Associate so she could get the prenatal care she needs.

Ana had never been to her new city before, and she didn’t have family there. As we see time and time again, newly arrived asylum seekers who are pregnant struggle to get prenatal care so late in their pregnancy. They contend with so many barriers: language, culture, transportation, cost, and even clinic willingness to take on a patient so late in her pregnancy, a pregnancy which likely didn’t have much if any prenatal care. Health Network Associates step in to help asylum seekers like Ana get through all of these barriers. Enedelia, Health Network Associate, recalled what happened next. 

“I got her established into prenatal care right away. She had her baby this summer – a boy. I checked in with her regularly through WhatsApp, as she went through her prenatal care, her birth, and now her postpartum care…. Today, when I checked in with her, she sent me a note. ‘Thank you very much, Enedelia. The help was the best thing that could have happened to me.’”

Migrant Clinicians Network helped over 1,000 prenatal patients this year alone – and you can help us serve more. We are nearing the end of the year, and we have much work to do to reach our $25,000 year-end goal.

You can make a meaningful impact by supporting Migrant Clinicians Network’s critical programs like Health Network. Donations of any size send a powerful message that you stand for health justice, and you support MCN’s efforts to help migrants, asylum seekers, and immigrants like Ana who have nowhere else to turn.

Together, let's build a community of care and empowerment!