Refugees, migrants, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees constitute a sizeable population in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region. These populations are often vulnerable to poor health due to the conditions in which they live in and with limited access to quality health care. In addition, those who can access care are often faced with financial hardship. Some migrants are not included in national programmes for health promotion, disease prevention, treatment and care, or in financial protection schemes for health, social services and social protection.

“Vision 2023”, developed to guide the work of WHO in the Region, acknowledges the socioeconomic diversity, opportunities and challenges facing this Region and calls for solidarity and action to promote “Health for All by All”. In line with “WHO’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work 2019-2023”, Vision 2023 has identified universal health coverage (UHC) as a top strategic priority for the Region, including refugees and migrants, and regardless of migratory status. UHC is also high on the political agenda of countries who are formulating strategies to expand coverage to their entire populations, not limited to only their citizens.

The refugee and migrant health programme aims to support countries by addressing the health and well-being of refugees and migrants in an inclusive and comprehensive manner and as part of holistic efforts to respond to the health needs of the overall population in any given setting. To achieve this, it promotes: mainstreaming refugees and migrants within the UHC platform to maximize access to quality health services without financial hardship throughout the migration route; ensuring effective implementation of essential public health functions; and improving the social determinants that affect health outcomes of refugees and migrants alongside host communities. 

Publications

Videos

Related links

Third Global Consultation on the Health of Refugees and Migrants
13-15 June 2023 | Rabat, Morocco

Second high-level interregional meeting on the health of refugees and migrants
16-17 March 2023 | Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh

Regional training course on refugees and migrants’ health in the eastern Mediterranean region 

Regional COVID-19 Crisis Management Group, Humanitarian Settings and Vulnerable Populations Working Group, Health of Internally Displaced Persons, Refugees, Migrants, Returnees and COVID-19

Health system response to COVID-19 in the context of internally displaced persons, refugees, migrants and returnees in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 7 April 2020 

Report on the roundtable discussion on expanding universal health coverage among refugees and migrants: challenges and opportunities, Cairo, Egypt, 10 December 2020 

Summary report on the regional meeting to develop a regional action plan to promote the health of migrants, refugees and displaced populations, Istanbul, Turkey, 25–27 March 2019  

COVID-19 immunization in refugees and migrants: principles and key considerations: interim guidance, 31 August 2021

WHO Headquarters

Refugee and migrant health

WHO Global School on Refugee and Migrant Health

WHO EURO

Refugee and migrant health

International Organization for Migration (IOM) MENA

https://rocairo.iom.int/  

United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) MENA

https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/middle-east-and-north-africa.html  

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

https://www.unrwa.org/

Contact us

Dr Ali Ardalan
Regional Adviser and Head of Health systems in Emergencies
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Dr Tonia Rifaey
Technical Officer, Refugee and Migrant Health
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