Countries unite at WHA79 to advance refugee and migrant health through stronger national systems

At a high-level event held on the margins of the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79), countries and partners reaffirmed the urgent need to strengthen refugee and migrant health through inclusive national health systems and shared practical experiences for turning global commitments into action. Hosted by the Government of Spain, co-sponsored by the Governments of Brazil, Colombia, Egypt and Nepal, and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), the event focused on translating policy commitments into practical approaches to improving access to health services.

"Ensuring equity for migrants and refugees means recognizing their right to health," said Javier Padilla, Secretary of State for Health, Spain. "All people residing in Spain, regardless of administrative status, are entitled to health care on equal terms. This is how we build stronger, more equitable health systems and improve health outcomes for all."

As human mobility continues to shape health systems worldwide, participants highlighted the need to strengthen health system adaptability and operationalize inclusive policies. While many countries have integrated refugee and migrant health into national frameworks, equitable access to services, particularly for people in vulnerable situations, remains uneven. Displaced and migrant populations contribute to health systems, economies and communities; their inclusion and participation are essential to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) and strengthening health system resilience.

"The question is no longer whether migrant and refugee health should be included, but how commitments are translated into practice," said Dr Santino Severoni, Head of WHO's Special Initiative on Health and Migration. "This requires stronger data and evidence, sustained partnerships and a shared commitment to making health systems work for everyone, everywhere."

From policy to impact

Shared reflections highlighted how countries and partners are operationalizing commitments to improve access to health services for refugees and migrants:

• Colombia expanded access within its national health systems in high-mobility contexts by regularizing migrants, including them in public health programmes, scaling insurance coverage, and prioritizing mental health, psychosocial support and social protection measures.
• Egypt highlighted inclusive and rights-based approaches, providing equal access to healthcare for refugees, migrants, and asylum-seekers, delivering hundreds of thousands of primary health care services annually, including tailored screenings and treatments, and amplifying these efforts through new legislation, policies, and governance measures.
• Nepal strengthened governance and coordination mechanisms by advancing migrant health policies, improving screening and referral systems for returnee migrant workers. Nepal has also piloted information systems to improve migrant health data and continuity of care.
• Spain advanced inclusive health system reforms by removing administrative barriers, ensuring access for all regardless of migration status, enhancing intersectoral coordination, and fostering global knowledge-sharing, including by hosting the Seventh WHO Global School on Refugee and Migrant Health.
• Brazil highlighted integrated, intersectoral responses linking health, social protection and labour policies, including community-based primary health care and large-scale humanitarian operations supporting displaced populations.
• The International Organization for Migration (IOM) highlighted people-centred service delivery models integrating primary health care, mental health and cross-sectoral support, while addressing fragmentation across systems.
• The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) emphasized the need for strengthened partnerships, including with the private sector, to advance refugee inclusion within national services rather than parallel systems, alongside expanding opportunities for refugee self-reliance, in line with the High Commissioner's "50 by 35" vision to halve refugee dependency on humanitarian assistance by 2035.
• WHO presented its work with Member States under the WHO global action plan on promoting the health of refugees and migrants, 2019-2030, including efforts to strengthen data, monitoring and evidence systems to better track progress, identify gaps and advance more inclusive and resilient health systems.
• The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) emphasized community trust, locally driven approaches and cross-border collaboration to ensure services reflect lived experiences and remain anchored in national systems.
• A representative of the Danish Youth Council (DUF) called for greater inclusion of migrants and refugees in decision-making, highlighting the impacts of stigma, limited participation and gaps between policy and lived realities, and emphasizing the importance of community engagement and youth-led evidence.

Shared priorities: scaling inclusive health systems

Participants emphasized the importance of addressing social determinants of health, reducing administrative barriers and ensuring that financing mechanisms keep pace with evolving needs. Several shared priorities emerged:

• accelerating the translation of policy commitments into scalable service delivery;
• embedding inclusion in primary health care and ensuring continuity of care;
• strengthening monitoring systems and the use of disaggregated data;
• aligning health, social and migration sectors, and bridging humanitarian-development approaches;
• enhancing the engagement of refugees, migrants and youth in policy-making and service delivery.

This side event reaffirmed the importance of sustained collaboration among governments, international organizations and communities to advance refugee and migrant health. As mobility dynamics grow more complex, sharing practical experiences and strengthening partnerships will be essential to scaling inclusive and effective solutions.

Discussions at WHA79 are expected to inform ongoing national and global efforts to advance inclusive health systems and accelerate progress towards UHC, ensuring that no one is left behind.