Public health
Public health
UNHCR works with governments and partners to provide emergency health care, improve local health services and include refugees in national health systems and plans.
Health is a fundamental human right for all, including refugees. Refugees should have access to the same or similar healthcare as host populations, as outlined in the 1951 Refugee Convention.
Many refugees, however, face obstacles in meeting their health needs.
UNHCR works with governments and partners to include refugees in national health policies, plans and systems, support access to affordable preventive and curative health care, and strengthen local health services.
Our approach to public health aligns with the Global Compact of Refugees and SDGs where we envisage a world where Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a reality, including for refugees.
UNHCR strategy and review
How does UNHCR help improve the health and wellbeing of refugees?
We strive to improve the health and well-being of refugees by addressing the full spectrum of their needs. We begin by approaching public health from multiple angles, including:
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advocacy and partnerships for inclusion into national health policies and systems;
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affordable access to comprehensive healthcare and nutrition services;
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promotion of healthy living and meaningful community engagement;
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collection and analysis of health data.
We work with a broad range of partners including governments, ministries of health, UN agencies, developmental actors, NGOs, academia, philanthropies and the private sector. Through our advocacy, programming and partnerships, many refugees and host communities can access safe, effective, equitable and affordable health services.
Recognizing the social determinants of health, we work intersectorally within UNHCR and externally with key sectors including protection, shelter, food security and livelihoods, WASH and energy and education sectors.
Core public health areas
Wherever possible, we aim to help refugees access health services through existing national health systems. We advocate for refugee healthcare inclusion directly with governments and support national health systems or partners to provide primary and secondary healthcare services.
We provide technical guidance, training and services for treating refugees with mental health and neurological conditions. UNHCR trains health staff (physicians and nurses) to identify and manage mental health conditions as an integral part of primary health care services. We also integrate psychosocial support into health, protection, education and sports programming.
We offer comprehensive support through technical guidance, training and services in areas such as maternal and newborn care, contraceptive coverage and family planning. Our work also includes strengthening clinical capacity to support survivors of rape and intimate partner violence as well as advancing HIV prevention and management.
Our Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS) assesses refugees' nutrition status and identifies ways to improve outcomes. Working closely with partners, we design targeted nutrition programs for refugees. Our registration and biometrics systems support partners' food distribution and cash assistance.
Our multiple surveys and databases collect and store refugee health and nutrition data. We analyze and use this data with governments and partners to enable evidence-based planning, monitor health issues and needs and advocate for healthcare planning and policy decisions.
What are the main health needs of refugees?
Before displacement, many refugees live in countries experiencing humanitarian crises. During the journey out of their country, refugees may face harsh or dangerous conditions that have severe consequences for their physical and psychological well-being.
Pascaline is a Congolese refugee in Burundi diagnosed with high blood pressure. She self-monitors her blood pressure at home and when the numbers get to high, she goes to the health clinic.
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Refugees may not have access to affordable health services when they arrive in their new host country. They may be unable to visit health providers, get medicines and medical supplies, laboratory tests and other life-sustaining health services due to distance, safety, language, policy, cultural or financial barriers. Treatment for ongoing conditions, including non-communicable diseases and HIV and TB, is often interrupted. Refugees may have sustained serious injuries during a conflict and displacement and need urgent surgical care and rehabilitation.
An important priority is to save lives through effective emergency responses at the onset of a crisis. The priorities for UNHCR and its partners at the start of an emergency are to ensure measles and polio immunization, nutritional support, control of communicable and non-communicable diseases and epidemics, implementation of reproductive health measures, mental health and psychosocial support and public health surveillance. As the situation stabilizes these services are broadened.
UNHCR and partners conduct health assessments, vaccinations, data collection and registration for newly arrived refugees from Sudan at the Kyriandongo reception centre in Uganda.
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Do refugees get free healthcare?
Refugee access to national healthcare systems depends on the policies of the host country.
In some countries, refugees can access national health systems and services under the same conditions as nationals, including services that are subsidized or free. Costs for these services may still be prohibitive in situations where refugees don’t have the right to work, especially for secondary health care.
There are also several host countries where refugees are not able to access national healthcare or the full range of essential health services due to national policies or geographical inaccessibility. The costs for private healthcare in these countries are often prohibitive and act as a financial barrier to accessing healthcare.
UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for people of all ages through universal health coverage, which enables people to experience sufficient quality and affordable healthcare whenever they need it without suffering financial hardship. It should cover promotive, preventive, curative, palliative and rehabilitative essential health services.
We advocate for the full inclusion of refugees into national health systems in line with the goal of universal health coverage. Full inclusion is the most sustainable and cost-effective public health model with the best results for both refugees and host communities.
