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Public Health
The health of refugees and other forcibly displaced people is a key component of protection and a priority for UNHCR. The 1951 Refugee Convention states that refugees should enjoy access to health services equivalent to that of the host population, while everyone has the right under international law to the highest standards of physical and mental health.
UNHCR works closely with partner organizations who implement health programmes in a range of challenging settings. We play a planning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation role. Health and nutrition programmes are delivered within a public health and community development framework, with an emphasis on primary health care and support for secondary hospital care. The objective of these programmes is to minimize mortality and morbidity rates.
The refugee agency plans its health care interventions based on needs, risks and vulnerabilities, which are determined as part of an inter-agency assessment by a competent health and nutrition partner and/or UNHCR staff.
Among forcibly displaced populations in developing countries, the top five killers of children under the age of five are malaria, malnutrition, measles, diarrhoea and respiratory tract infections. The priorities for UNHCR and its partners at the start of an emergency are measles immunization, nutritional support, control of communicable diseases and epidemics, implementation of the reproduction health measures and public health surveillance. As the situation stabilizes these services are enlarged. In more developed and urban settings, public health priorities among adults shift toward cardiovascular and chronic diseases and cancers.
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Public Health Strategies and Policies
- Cash-based Interventions for Health programmes in Refugee Settings. A Review
- Public health equity in refugee and other displaced persons settings, April 2010
- Public Health and HIV Section's Guiding Principles and Strategic Plans for HIV and AIDS, Malaria Control, Nutrition and Food Security, Reproductive Health, Water and Sanitation, 2008-2012
Public Health Guidelines
A collection of manuals and guidelines relating to the health of refugees and other persons of concern to UNHCR.
- Malaria Prevention - Quick check list
- UNHCR's Essential Medicines and Medical Supplies
- A Guidance Note on Health Insurance Schemes for Refugees and other Persons of Concern to UNHCR.
- Guidance for Public Health Interventions for Repatriation
- Epidemic Preparednes and Response in Refugee Camp Settings. Guidance for Public Health Officers
Mental health and psychosocial support
A collection of resources relating to non-communicable diseases, mental health and psycho-social support to refugees and other persons of concern to UNHCR
- Culture, Context and the Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing of Syrians: A Review for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support staff working with Syrians Affected by Armed Conflict
- Clinical Management of Mental, Neurological and Substance Use Conditions in Humanitarian Emergencies
- Assessment Management of Conditions Specifically Related to Stress mhGAP module
- Operational guidance, mental health & psychosocial support programming for refugee operations
- Do's and don'ts in community-based psychosocial support for sexual violence survivors in conflict-affected settings
Public Health Lessons Learned and Field Experiences
A series of publications that document public health best practices in refugee situations.
Public Health Assessment, Monitoring, Evaluation
- Evaluation Tool for Tuberculosis Programs in Resource-limited, Refugee and Post-Conflict Settings (version 2)
- The Humanitarian Emergency Settings Perceived Needs Scale (HESPER)
- Rapid Assessment of Alcohol and Other Substance Use in Conflict-affected and Displaced Populations: A Field Guide
- Guidelines for Implementing Interagency Health and Nutrition Evaluations in Humanitarian Crises