WHO takes action to promote the health of refugees and migrants

Transit and destination countries often house migrants in unsanitary conditions, increasing the risk of transmission of communicable diseases such as cholera and tuberculosis.5 The safety of migrants is a major concern, including protecting them from sexual assault, trafficking, and forced labour.6 All-cause mortality among migrants is higher in countries with restrictive migration policies.7 Migrants frequently have complex physical and mental conditions but often cannot access high-quality health services.6 Most countries do not include migrants as full beneficiaries in national health coverage. The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol guarantee refugees the same social security as nationals, including in the event of sickness.12 However, states must determine if asylum seekers have a genuine fear of persecution. The European Union (EU) requires that the first country migrants enter must examine their asylum applications, resulting in disproportionate costs for EU border states.13 Refugee law should be reformed to protect asylum seekers, afford due process, and safeguard the rights and safety of all, encompassing the realities of why people flee, including environmental degradation and life-threatening poverty.