{"id":36759,"date":"2026-04-02T17:58:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T17:58:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/04\/02\/migrants-and-refugees-face-increasing-health-risks-as-global-systems-weaken-global-issues\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T17:58:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T17:58:29","slug":"migrants-and-refugees-face-increasing-health-risks-as-global-systems-weaken-global-issues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/04\/02\/migrants-and-refugees-face-increasing-health-risks-as-global-systems-weaken-global-issues\/","title":{"rendered":"Migrants and refugees face increasing health risks as global systems weaken &#8211; Global Issues"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"content\">\n<figure class=\"img-with-caption ips-feature-image\"><figcaption>On October 27, Omar, a member of the Community Development Committee, supports health workers at a UNICEF-supported mobile clinic in Al Jadab village in Atbara, Nile River State. Through this initiative, UNICEF is bringing life-saving health services such as nutrition, immunization, antenatal and postnatal services, medical consultation and essential medicines closer to vulnerable communities. Credit: UNICEF\/Mohammed Dawood<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul id=\"author-page-update\" class=\"small secondary\">\n<li class=\"author\">By Oritro Karim (<span class=\"city\">united nations<\/span>)<\/li>\n<li><time datetime=\"2026-04-02\">Thursday, 02 April 2026<\/time><\/li>\n<li class=\"news-source\">inter press service<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>United Nations, Apr 2 (IPS) &#8211; Global human migration is at a record-high level, as the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that almost 1 in 8 people \u2013 almost a billion people \u2013 are on the move. Many of these migrants and refugees face harsh living conditions and increasing challenges such as poverty, insecurity and limited access to basic services. As the number of international migrants has doubled since 1990, new WHO findings call for the expansion of health systems to meet growing needs.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRefugees and migrants are not just recipients of care, they are also health workers, caregivers and community leaders,\u201d said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. \u201cHealth systems are only truly universal when they serve everyone. \u201cLike anyone else, refugees and migrants need uninterrupted, affordable and equitable access to health services, no matter where they are.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>WHO estimates that there are approximately 304 million international migrants worldwide, including 170 million migrant workers. Of these, approximately 117 million are those who have been forcibly displaced, 49 million are children, and 2.3 million are born as refugees. <\/p>\n<p>More than 71 percent of the world&#8217;s international migrants find refuge in low- to middle-income countries, which often face the most severe resource constraints and security challenges. Marginalized groups are disproportionately affected: women and girls are particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence and often lack access to relevant services; Unaccompanied children face increased risk of exploitation, abuse and neglect; And persons with disabilities face higher barriers to access and increased risk of discrimination.<\/p>\n<p>It found that refugees and migrants face greater exposure to health risks, partly driven by conditions that restrict movement and access to care, as well as persistent discrimination and language and cultural barriers. These challenges are further exacerbated by ongoing conflict and climate-related disasters, leaving millions of people around the world vulnerable to infectious and chronic diseases, mental health issues, and hazardous living and working conditions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe cannot talk about refugee and migrant health without addressing emergencies,\u201d said Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, WHO&#8217;s executive director for health emergencies. &#8220;Whether it&#8217;s conflict, a climate-related crisis, or a pandemic that forces movement, these crises expose the fragility of health systems and increase the vulnerabilities of all people already at risk.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>WHO launched it on 26 March <em>World report on promoting the health of refugees and migrants: monitoring progress on the WHO global action plan<\/em>Establishing what it describes as the first global baseline to track progress toward inclusive, migrant-responsive health systems. Based on data from more than 93 Member States, the report highlights both increasing variation in national responses to migrant and refugee health needs and persistent structural gaps that continue to hinder progress towards equitable access. <\/p>\n<p>WHO found that only 42 percent of member countries surveyed reported having emergency preparedness and disaster reduction or response programs for migrant or refugee communities. Only 40 percent indicated that they provide training for health workers in culturally responsive care, while only 37 percent reported that they have systems in place to collect, monitor, and analyze migration-related health data \u2013 information that is rarely disseminated adequately to support a more coordinated global response.<\/p>\n<p>Discrimination remains widespread in low- and middle-income countries that host large numbers of refugees and migrants, with misinformation and disinformation fueling negative perceptions about these communities. Only 30 percent of the countries surveyed reported that communication campaigns were in place to counter these misconceptions and discriminatory language. <\/p>\n<p>Anti-migrant sentiment remains particularly pronounced, with internally displaced persons, migrant workers, international students, and migrants in irregular circumstances much less likely to access health services. Additionally, refugees and migrants are largely unrepresented in the governance and decision-making processes that shape their access to health rights in most of the countries surveyed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnfortunately displacement events are occurring more frequently in countries with fragile systems, fragile economies and limited domestic resources,\u201d said Dr. Santino Severoni, head of WHO&#8217;s Special Initiative on Health and Migration and lead author of the report. \u201cThere is almost no mention of irregular migrants in those emergency plans and response or in reducing the risk of disease, there is no systematic approach in assessing the system to see how their system is actually working, how efficient and effective it is. This is really a call to action to deliver on the promise of sharing little responsibility in the management of those emergencies.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Over the past year, international support for refugee health has seen a significant decline. Statistics from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/news\/briefing-notes\/unhcr-funding-cuts-threaten-health-nearly-13-million-displaced-people\">unhcr<\/a>) show that their 2025 response plan has achieved only 23 percent of its US$10.6 billion target. The agency estimates that this could cause more than 12.8 million displaced people to lose access to life-saving health interventions this year.<\/p>\n<p>Global reactions have been polarizing. Some countries have adopted inclusive policies that support migrant communities \u2013 such as Chile \u2013 which has supplied municipal health councils for migrants and refugees with community representatives. Other countries, such as the United States and Canada, have cut health insurance coverage for undocumented immigrants, forcing them to pay out-of-pocket for life-saving care and increasing security risks. <\/p>\n<p>Through the report, WHO called for greater inclusion of refugee and migrant voices in decision-making processes, as well as better coordination between governments. With the seamless flow of data between member countries, WHO will be able to shape health, employment, housing and protection services more effectively. <\/p>\n<p>WHO stressed that responses should be specifically tailored to the needs of different migrant subgroups, while remaining committed to combating misinformation and discrimination through &#8220;evidence-based action&#8221;. Investing in refugee and migrant health systems provides significant returns, fostering better social and economic cohesion, revitalizing fragile health systems, and promoting global security, while reducing long-term costs by promoting these communities to contribute back to society. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe health of refugees and migrants is not a matter of minor concern: it is a defining issue of our time,\u201d Severoni said. \u201cBy acting now, countries can ensure that refugees and migrants are not left behind, and that health systems are stronger, fairer and more prepared for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>IPS UN Bureau Report<\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a9 Inter Press Service (20260402174717) &#8211; All rights reserved<\/em>. <cite class=\"original\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ipsnews.net\/2026\/04\/who-migrants-and-refugees-face-rising-health-risks-as-global-systems-fall-short\/\">Original source: Inter Press Service<\/a><\/cite><\/p>\n<aside id=\"after-content\">\n<h2>Where next?<\/h2>\n<section class=\"box\" id=\"where-next-group\">\n<div class=\"tabs\">\n<div id=\"tab-content-news-headlines-related-categories\" role=\"tabpanel\">\n<h3 class=\"tab-heading\">related news<\/h3>\n<p>Browse related news topics:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tab-content-news-headlines-latest\" role=\"tabpanel\">\n<h3 class=\"tab-heading\">latest news<\/h3>\n<p>Read latest news stories:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"hedline-main\">WHO: Migrants and refugees face increasing health risks due to gaps in global systems<\/span> <span class=\"datetime\">Thursday, 02 April 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"hedline-main\">Now is the time for Africa to finance its health security<\/span> <span class=\"datetime\">Thursday, 02 April 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"hedline-main\">Italy: &#8216;White supremacist concepts are entering mainstream political discourse on migration&#8217;<\/span> <span class=\"datetime\">Thursday, 02 April 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"hedline-main\">UN80: UN General Assembly adopts resolution on mandate review<\/span> <span class=\"datetime\">Thursday, 02 April 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"hedline-main\">MC14 exposes US&#8217;s heavy hand in WTO; Developing countries need each other<\/span> <span class=\"datetime\">Thursday, 02 April 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"hedline-main\">Middle East crisis highlights global energy fault lines as UN urges shift to renewable energy<\/span> <span class=\"datetime\">Thursday, 02 April 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"hedline-main\">Middle East Live 2 April: Civilian impact deepens as UN chief says &#8216;we must find a peaceful way forward before the region descends into war&#8217;<\/span> <span class=\"datetime\">Thursday, 02 April 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"hedline-main\">Artisanal miners in western Kenya move away from Mercury<\/span> <span class=\"datetime\">Wednesday, 01 April 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"hedline-main\">UNECA warns Africa of dangers of remaining uncompetitive, urges adoption of AI<\/span> <span class=\"datetime\">Wednesday, 01 April 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"hedline-main\">Congo: &#8216;The result was decided even before the polling stations opened&#8217;<\/span> <span class=\"datetime\">Wednesday, 01 April 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tab-content-news-headlines-related-in-depth\" role=\"tabpanel\">\n<h3 class=\"tab-heading\">depth in<\/h3>\n<p>Learn more about related issues:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"social-bookmarks\">\n<h2>share this<\/h2>\n<section class=\"box\">\n<p>Bookmark it or share it with others using some popular social bookmarking web sites:<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<details id=\"link-to-here\">\n<summary>\n<h2>Link this page to your site\/blog<\/h2>\n<\/summary>\n<section class=\"box\">\n<p>Add the following HTML code to your page:<\/p>\n<pre><code><p>WHO: Migrants and Refugees Face Rising Health Risks as Global Systems Fall Short, <cite>Inter Press Service<\/cite>, Thursday, April 02, 2026 (posted by Global Issues)<\/p><\/code><\/pre>\n<p>&#8230;to produce it:<\/p>\n<p class=\"result copy-code-to-clipboard\">WHO: Migrants and refugees face increasing health risks as global systems fail, <cite>inter press service<\/cite>Thursday, April 02, 2026 (Posted by Global Issues)<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/details>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On October 27, Omar, a member of the Community Development Committee, supports health workers at a UNICEF-supported mobile clinic in Al Jadab village in Atbara, Nile River State. Through this initiative, UNICEF is bringing life-saving health services such as nutrition, immunization, antenatal and postnatal services, medical consultation and essential medicines closer to vulnerable communities. Credit:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36761,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[417,99,667,1803,2256,8219,3829,1091,7764,10802],"class_list":{"0":"post-36759","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bible-news","8":"tag-face","9":"tag-global","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-increasing","12":"tag-issues","13":"tag-migrants","14":"tag-refugees","15":"tag-risks","16":"tag-systems","17":"tag-weaken"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36759","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36759"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36759\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36763,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36759\/revisions\/36763"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36761"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36759"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36759"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36759"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}