With over 1 billion people on the move worldwide, including 117 million forcibly displaced, migration is profoundly reshaping health systems and intensifying the need for inclusive and resilient responses. Despite global efforts, refugees and migrants still face health risks and systemic barriers including legal, linguistic, financial and social obstacles. Fragmented services, workforce shortages and governance gaps further hinder continuity of care. Addressing these challenges requires bold leadership and coordinated action to advance health for all.
From 9–11 December 2025, WHO convened the sixth edition of its flagship Global School on Refugee and Migrant Health in Geneva under the theme Leadership in health and migration: Policies and actions across countries. This knowledge-sharing and capacity-strengthening event brought together 1200 participants from 143 countries, including representatives from governments, international organizations, academia and civil society. Through high-level keynote addresses, country case studies and live panel discussions, the School created a unique space for shared solutions and evidence-informed strategies to integrate refugee and migrant health into universal health coverage (UHC), strengthen primary health care (PHC) and advance mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS).
“The health challenges faced by refugees and migrants cannot be addressed through humanitarian action alone,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, in a video message. “Around the world, WHO is supporting countries to build the evidence, capacity, and tools to develop sustainable, equitable services for migrants and refugees.”
Leadership in health and migration
Across the three days, leadership emerged not as an abstract concept but as governance in action. Country examples demonstrated how policy principles can be translated into life-saving systems, ensuring continuity of care even in resource-constrained settings. Colombia scaled Territorial Health Committees to coordinate multi-hazard responses and cross-border health services. Kenya and Somalia implemented transit-point vaccination and zero-dose child tracking along an 800-kilometre porous border. Viet Nam established an inter-ministerial Migrant Health Working Group to embed migrant health into national policy frameworks.
“Leadership is what transforms evidence into action and ensures that health systems become inclusive, resilient and fair. It means implementation, accountability and above all, courage to innovate, collaborate and listen to the voices of refugees and migrants themselves,” said Dr Santino Severoni, Head of the WHO Special Initiative on Health and Migration.
Echoing this message, Professor Paul Spiegel of Johns Hopkins University noted: “In settings where refugees and migrants live within fragile health systems, leadership is not an abstract concept. It is the difference between a coherent, humane response and chaos.”
Inclusive and integrated health services
Primary health care (PHC) is the foundation of inclusive, people-centred health systems. Thailand embedded a health centre in a migrant community, co-led by volunteers, boosting immunization coverage. Jordan expanded its Healthy Community Clinics within the Ministry of Health, pairing service delivery with evidence and capacity-building. In Italy, Brescia’s clinic filled a critical primary-care gap for undocumented migrants by providing free consultations and continuity of care for chronic conditions. Together, these models show how PHC operationalizes equity, making care accessible, culturally adapted, and resilient for all.
In his keynote address, Dr Shams Syed, Head of WHO’s Service Delivery and Primary Health Care Unit, emphasized that “Primary health care is the backbone of migrant-inclusive systems. When knowledge meets purpose, and leadership is shaped by empathy and courage, systems become stronger for all.”
This message was reinforced by Dr Ahmed Zouiten, WHO Representative in Libya and Tunisia who noted: “When we build migrant-sensitive health systems, we build systems that are stronger for everyone. Compassion is power.”
Mental health and psychosocial support
Access to mental health care for refugees and migrants must be recognized as a right, not a privilege. Trust and culturally-adapted care are essential to building resilience. The WHO Health for All Film Festival award-winning Dalal’s Story, together with powerful personal testimonies, highlighted the need to address barriers such as stigma and fear while improving accessibility and affordability of dignified care.
In Gaza, UNRWA strengthened psychosocial support through community networks amid conflict and mass displacement. In Somalia, mental health services were integrated into primary care through task-sharing and culturally-adapted approaches. Speakers emphasized the importance of community engagement and of training non-specialist health workers to deliver care within PHC and UHC frameworks, while also stressing that closing digital health data gaps is critical for visibility and accountability.
“Mental health is essential to UHC; no system is inclusive if mental health is neglected,” said Devora Kestel, Director of the Department of noncommunicable diseases and mental health (a.i.) at WHO.
Reflecting on lived experience and innovation, Dr Waheed Arian, NHS physician and UN SDG Goalkeeper, emphasized: “Start with trust: reduce fear and stigma through community engagement before clinical care.”
The sixth Global School reaffirmed that leadership, PHC and MHPSS are inseparable pillars of migrant-inclusive health systems. Concrete country experiences demonstrate scalable approaches to close gaps in access, continuity and quality of care, strengthening health systems and improving health outcomes for refugees, migrants and host communities alike.