Strengthening health systems to improve the health of displaced and migrant populations in the context of climate change Evidence brief

Overview

The WHO Global research agenda on health, migration and displacement identified the health of displaced and migrant populations in the context of climate change as one of the most pressing, yet under-researched, topics.

Migration and displacement due to climate change are expected to present new health challenges, for example by worsening long-standing disease burdens, introducing novel health risks and causing health system disruption. Furthermore, it can be anticipated that the health of various migrant groups – including those who did not move because of climate change – will be similarly affected. As examples, internally displaced and migrant populations in urban slums experience food insecurity that is worsened by climate change and threatens their nutritional status; migrant workers are increasingly exposed to severe heat stress at their workplaces; and refugees are affected by weather risks that increase their exposure to waterborne disease outbreaks. Millions of people live in temporary settlements after disasters, with the average stay lasting over a decade.