WHO Cox’s Bazar: Rohingya emergency crisis - Situation Report: February 2024

In collaboration with WHO, the MOHFW has initiated the development of a comprehensive national medical education strategy aimed at guiding the transformation of medical education in the country. A key milestone of this process was the convening of a Medical College Principals’ Conference in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, in February 2024. Supporting this initiative, WHO Cox’s Bazar HoSO along with the WR attended the event. The strategy aims to address the gaps and challenges in medical education, such as curriculum, accreditation, faculty development, and digital transformation. It also aligns with the global and regional frameworks for strengthening primary healthcare, universal health coverage, and health security. Furthermore, WSO HoSO had the opportunity to engage in a productive conversation with the newly appointed MoH, Dr Samanta Lal Sen.

Representing WHO Bangladesh and the Rohingya response, HoSO Cox’s Bazar attended as a panellist and a moderator the Global High-Level Technical Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) in Humanitarian Settings: Building Resilient Health Systems, Leaving No One Behind in Copenhagen, Denmark, from 27 to 29 February 2024. The meeting was hosted by the Governments of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and Kenya, and co-hosted by WHO’s Department of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD), Health Emergencies Programme (WHE), Health and Migration Programme (PHM) at HQ, the WHO Regional Office for Europe (EURO) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). With over 50 Member States represented and over 600 participants, the meeting as part of the NCD Implementation roadmap 2023–2030 and wider efforts to strengthen and reorient health systems to address the prevention and control of NCDs through people-centred primary health care and universal health coverage, the main objective of the Global high-level technical meeting on NCDs in humanitarian settings is to build political momentum, understand and discuss the development of a comprehensive and integrated approach to NCDs in humanitarian settings and better inclusion of essential services for NCDs in emergency preparedness and humanitarian response plans. High-level awareness raised, advocacy and political commitments for better inclusion of the needs of displaced people with NCDs across the humanitarian programme cycle.