On the occasion of Member States convening at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, the WHO Regional Office for Europe, together with the WHO Regional Offices for Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean, is inviting health ministers and representatives of the WHO European, African and Eastern Mediterranean Regions and partners to a panel discussion and dialogue on refugee and migrant health.
The event aims to:
- translate the outcomes of the High-level meeting on health and migration in March 2022 into action;
- strengthen the tri-regional collaboration on the health of refugees and migrants; and
- include refugee and migrant voices in the debate.
“Good health and well-being should be a reality for all of us, no matter where you come from and what status you have. To make this happen, it is important to work across regions and to include refugee and migrant perspectives,” explains Dr Hans Henri P Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
Translating the new consensus into action
In March 2022 WHO/Europe brought together 31 ministers, delegates from over 50 countries from three regions, refugee and migrant representatives, the European and African Union, United Nations agencies, as well as other international partners to a high-level meeting on health and migration in Istanbul, Turkey.
Together they agreed on five priority actions to improve the health and well-being of refugees and migrants.
- Ensure that migrants and refugees have universal health coverage.
- Implement inclusive health emergency policies.
- Promote social inclusion and reduce inequalities between people.
- Strengthen migration health governance and data gathering.
- Support new partnerships and innovative ways of working