Second high-level interregional meeting on the health of refugees and migrants, 16–17 March 2023, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

Amid the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes in the Syrian Arab Republic and Türkiye over a month ago, as well as the ongoing war in Ukraine, now past its one-year mark, three WHO regional offices this week brought together governments, civil society and health partners in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, for the second high-level meeting on the health of refugees and migrants – a timely gathering to ensure that refugees and migrants have access to health care across the migration route during emergencies and beyond.

“In the WHO European Region, we are currently responding to the earthquake in Türkiye – one of our 53 Member States – as well as continuing to address the largest displacement in the Region since the Second World War with over 8 million refugees from Ukraine recorded across Europe. It’s clear that from emergency responses to long-term efforts to achieve universal health coverage, we must include refugees and migrants. For this we need to take a dual-track approach: preparing for and responding to health emergencies better, while also providing everyday inclusive health services for all,” emphasized Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

COVID-19

SAGO statement on newly released SARS-CoV-2 metagenomics data from China CDC on GISAID

On 12 March 2023, WHO was made aware of new SARS-CoV-2 sequences and metagenomics data associated with samples collected in the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, Wuhan, China, from January 2020, that became available on GISAID for a short period of time.

After discussions with the WHO secretariat and the SAGO Chair and Vice-Chair, a call was arranged on 12 March with the scientists involved from China CDC, and some of those who had accessed the data from GISAID, to gauge the significance of this data and the analyses of this data. WHO subsequently organized a meeting on 14 March 2023 with all SAGO members, and invited researchers from China CDC to present the updated analysis of their data.

Mobile health caravans rally the Western Balkans to COVID-19 vaccination, bringing health advice closer to where people are

Over the course of 2022–2023, 4 mobile health caravans have been touring remote and under-served locations in the Western Balkans to make sure vulnerable people have access to COVID-19 vaccination and the public health advice they need to protect themselves. To bring vaccination, health care and health recommendations to the heart of communities, with the support of WHO and partners, national and equivalent public health authorities have organized health caravans in Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Kosovo.

COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted access to medicines for noncommunicable diseases

WHO published a new report Access to NCD medicines: emergent issues during the COVID-19 pandemic and key structural factors, today, to highlight the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to noncommunicable disease (NCD) medicines, and the policies and strategies implemented by countries to anticipate and mitigate stresses across NCD medicine supply chains.

During the pandemic, people living with cancer, heart diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes and other NCDs experienced difficulties in accessing their routine medicines. This report reviewed the impact of the pandemic on NCD medicines from manufacturing, procurement, importation, to delivery, availability and affordability.

What is the best way to treat post COVID-19 condition (long COVID)?
Researchers in Belgium are trying to develop the answer

Across the WHO European Region, an estimated 17 million people were thought to be living with the long-term effects of COVID-19 in 2020/2021. Even now, while the worst of the pandemic may be over, the risk of developing long COVID symptoms from a COVID-19 infection – at 10–20% of those infected – remains just as strong.

Unfortunately, because long COVID is new disease, doctors have often been uncertain as to the most effective ways to care for these patients. With over 200 reported symptoms, a one-size-fits-all treatment plan simply does not work.

Trying to find a solution to this conundrum, researchers from KU Leuven, a research university in Belgium, have been working to develop evidence-based guidelines to help health professionals treat patients. They have also been trialling a care pathway designed around the patient and their individual symptoms.

WHO's Science in 5: SARs-CoV-2 virus origins

WHO's technical lead on COVID-19 talks to us about the status of the scientific work needed to find the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Dr Maria Van Kerkhove provides an update, explains why it is important to understand the origins of pandemics, what WHO's role is in achieving this and how WHO works to prevent future pandemics.

TÜRKIYE & SYRIA EARTHQUAKES

WHO Foundation Health Emergency Appeal for Türkiye and Syria

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UKRAINE EMERGENCY

Ukraine’s health system shows resilience, but barriers remain

The WHO Country Office in Ukraine has conducted 2 rounds of quantitative studies to assess health needs and access to health services among the adult population in Ukraine.

The Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 has caused a deterioration in the level of access to health-care services and medicines in the country, particularly for people living in regions close to the frontline and areas that are partially controlled by the Government of Ukraine, and for people who have been internally displaced.

The findings show that the country’s health system remains resilient and that overall access to health services remains fairly high. However, results also show that more than half of those who sought various types of health care faced at least one problem, with the main barriers being the cost of medicines and treatment, and challenges relating to time and transport.

Enabling support for Ukrainian refugees with disabilities in the Republic of Moldova

To promote a disability-inclusive response to the refugee crisis in the Republic of Moldova, a WHO-led joint project funded by the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) has been launched in Chisinau.

Called “Mainstreaming a disability-inclusive humanitarian response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis”, it aims to raise and address important concerns. The ongoing war in Ukraine has forced millions of Ukrainians out of their homes and into neighbouring countries, including the Republic of Moldova, disproportionally affecting those with disabilities. By July 2022, it was estimated that 13% of all families that had fled Ukraine included at least 1 member with a physical or psychosocial disability.