Mahmoud, a teacher, and Gulizar, a social worker, fled Syria and found refuge in Germany in 2015. Having a son with asthma, they experienced first-hand the importance of access to quality health services when arriving in a new country. They speak of how critical health equity is for refugees and migrants, stating, “Humans should be treated as humans, not as Germans, Syrians, Iraqis or Afghans.”
In the WHO European Region, 1 in 8 people is a refugee or migrant. Amid multiple ongoing crises in the Region, refugees and migrants are often among the most vulnerable. They can struggle to access the health care they need, encountering many financial, administrative and legal barriers.
A milestone agreement for better refugee and migrant health until 2030
To address both the acute needs of refugees and migrants and their long-term integration in health systems, the 53 Member States of the Region adopted a new action plan for refugee and migrant health in a milestone agreement at the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Kazakhstan today.
The action plan, stretching to 2030, reaffirms their commitment to the right to health, safety and dignity for all, including refugees and migrants. It defines the following 5 action pillars to improve refugee and migrant health:
- ensure refugees and migrants benefit from universal health coverage
- implement inclusive emergency and disaster risk-reduction policies and actions
- develop inclusive environments that promote public health, social inclusion and well-being
- strengthen migration-related health governance and evidence- and data-driven policy-making
- explore innovative ways of working and develop enabling partnerships.
WHO/Europe will report on progress in each of these areas biennially at sessions of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe until 2030. Through these specific actions, the plan will operationalize global instruments governing health and migration, such as the WHO Global Action Plan on Promoting the Health of Refugees and Migrants, and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Health needs of refugees and migrants and their access to health care
Refugees and migrants can be at risk of ill health both while in transit and when in their destination countries due to, for example, poor living conditions, changes in lifestyle, and disruptions in access to health and other essential services. They often experience conditions that contribute to poor health, including restrictive migration policies, economic hardship and discrimination.
Common barriers that impede refugees’ and migrants’ access to health-care services include:
- limited access due to legal status
- a shortage of interpreters and cultural mediators
- uncertainties about how to register in health and other enabling systems
- a lack of resources
- a lack of legal support services.