The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched the Global Research Prioritisation Exercise (GRPE) action plan on health, migration and displacement to strengthen evidence and guide policies on the growing impact of climate change on human mobility and health.
WHO said in a statement that the inauguration brought together more than 300 participants from over 75 countries to advance research and action on one of the world’s most pressing but under-researched health challenges.
The organisation noted that while climate change is increasingly recognised as a driver of migration and displacement, major evidence gaps remain on its effects on health, well-being and access to healthcare throughout the migration journey.
“Closing research gaps is a matter of equity. To achieve universal health coverage, strengthening climate resilience and advancing with health equity, migrant and displaced populations must not be an afterthought, they must be part of the solution from the beginning,” Dr. Santino Severoni, Head of WHO Health and Migration, said.
He explained that the GRPE is the first thematic initiative under WHO’s Global Research Agenda on Health, Migration and Displacement, developed through expert consultations, stakeholder engagement and global surveys.
The exercise identifies priority research areas covering social determinants of health, universal health coverage, emergencies, health outcomes, data, policy and interventions, while providing a global action roadmap for future research and practice.
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WHO said priority areas include tackling social inequities, improving access to health services, strengthening preparedness for climate-related emergencies, enhancing migration-sensitive data systems, and expanding 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,” Dr. Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, Head of WHO Climate Change, Energy and Air Quality, said.
The organisation said participants also called for stronger collaboration across the climate, health and migration sectors, improved migration-sensitive data, community-centred research and closer links between research, policy and implementation.
WHO reaffirmed its commitment to helping Member States translate the roadmap into action to build resilient, migrant-inclusive health systems and advance health equity in the face of climate change.
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