WHO Health and Migration, in collaboration with WHO Climate Change, Energy and Air Quality has inaugurated the global research prioritising action plan on health, migration and displacement.

WHO, in a statement on Wednesday, said the inauguration brought together more than 300 participants from over 75 countries. It said the participants came together to advance evidence and action on one of the most pressing and under-researched global health challenges of all time.

It noted that in spite of growing recognition of the climate–migration–health nexus, significant evidence gaps remain regarding how mobility in the context of climate change affects health, well-being and access to care.

It added that climate change is increasingly recognised as contributing to the drivers of migration and displacement, disproportionately affecting populations already facing vulnerabilities and limited adaptive capacity.

According to the statement, this is even as it influences health risks and access to services throughout the migration journey.

“Closing research gaps is a matter of equity. To achieve universal health coverage, strengthening climate resilience and advancing withhealth equity, migrant and displaced populations must not be an afterthought, they must be part of the solution from the beginning,” Santino Severoni, head of WHO Health and Migration, said.

The statement said key priorities identified include addressing social inequities and vulnerabilities, strengthening access to health systems and services, improving preparedness and resilience to climate-related emergencies.

It also identified enhancing migration-sensitive data systems, and generating evidence on mental health, maternal and child health, chronic diseases, and the long-term impacts of climate-related mobility.

“Climate change is already affecting the health and mobility of populations around the world. Strengthening the evidence base is essential to inform effective policies and ensure that those most affected are protected through climate-resilient and equitable health systems,” said Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, head of WHO Climate Change, Energy and Air Quality.

The inauguration reinforced a shared commitment to strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and ensuring that research informs policy and practice.

Discussions highlighted the need to break down silos across climate, health and migration sectors, strengthen migration-sensitive data systems, promote participatory and community-centred research, and translate evidence into practical policies and interventions that respond to the realities of affected populations.

(NAN)