Strengthening health information systems for refugee- and migrant-sensitive healthcare

Health information and research findings can provide a platform for understanding and responding to the health needs of refugees and migrants and for aligning the efforts of other sectors and sources of international assistance. However, the systematic national data and evidence comparable across countries and over time available for policy and decision making on health of refugees and migrants from around the world are inadequate. WHO Health and Migration Programme (PHM) supports the strengthening of Member State information systems, providing specialized technical assistance, response and capacity-building.

PHM also sets global standards on health and migration, advocating for the mainstreaming of refugee and migrant health into global, regional and country agendas, and research to support the promotion of refugee- and migrant-sensitive health policies and legal and social protection.

The World Report on Health and Migration, launched in 2022, is the flagship of PHM, and is fully aligned with WHO own Thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW13) 2019-2023, especially with output 4.1.13 that commits WHO to help countries to strengthen data, analytics and health information systems to have evidence informed policies to help improve health conditions of refugees and migrants. This is the first global report on health and migration that aims to provide a global baseline or state of affairs on health issues related to refugees and migrants with a focus on international migrants.

PHM is also set to develop methodologies and platform to monitor progress and trends on health issues related to migration. Inherent to this is the development of an accountability framework through indicators for progress monitoring and reporting, including on the implementation of the Global Action Plan “Promoting the health of refugees and migrants” 2019-2023 (GAP).