Knowledge Forum on Refugee and Migrant Health
Valetta, Malta, 16–18 April 2024
About the event
The Knowledge Forum is organized by the Health and Migration Programme at the WHO Regional Office
for Europe, in collaboration with the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing of Malta and the European
Commission, as an in-person meeting of Member States, partners, civil society organizations and other
relevant stakeholders to learn from each other, promote knowledge exchange, share experiences, discuss
and reflect on common challenges and encourage collaboration.
The Knowledge Forum will serve as a platform to foster the implementation of the Action plan for refugee
and migrant health (2023–2030), share and exchange knowledge and best practices around health and
migration, and identify key partnerships for joint interventions across countries of origin, transit and
destination. The event will provide the unique opportunity for policy-makers, implementing agencies and
nongovernmental organizations and researchers to connect and forge new initiatives.
Context
The event will provide tools and resource for the implementation of the new Action plan for refugee
and migrant health (2023–2030), supporting Member States to make their commitment to health for all,
including refugees and migrants, a reality. The purpose of the event will be to translate into concrete
actions, based on latest research and evidence, the commitments articulated in the Action plan for
refugee and migrant health. These actions are needed to implement the new strategic framework and
realize the potential of migration to contribute to resourceful and resilient populations.
The Forum will build on the Action plan for refugee and migrant health (2023–2030) adopted at the 73th
session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe and outcomes of the High-level Meetings on Health
and Migration in Türkiye in March 2022 and Egypt in March 2023, and the expressed wish of Member
States to address health and migration in a whole-of-route approach and in collaboration between
countries of origin, transit and destination.
The Health and Migration Knowledge Community will be presented during the event; this is an online
platform for the participants to harness to exchange and retrieve knowledge after the event.
Approach
• Leverage collaborations and harness collective intelligence and tacit knowledge to solve
problems;
• Use traditional learning methods combined with the latest standardized virtual self-contained
environments hosted in the WHO discourse platform;
• Focus on solving one/specific problem(s), where potential solutions can only be found through
collective experience, and experiential knowledge;
• Tools and resources will be made available to participants during the Forum which they can
continue using in their practice; and
• Emphasize a whole-of-route approach for countries across migration trajectories.
Thematic focus
Day 1. Where do we stand?
Day 1 will cover governance and health leadership in the context for refugee and migrant health; legal
and governance frameworks; design of migrant-friendly and responsive health services; integration of
refugee and migrant voices into research and service design; the epidemiology of refugee and migrant
health; and the Health and Migration Knowledge Community.
Day 2. What actions do we need?
Day 2 will cover human resources for health; recruitment of migrant health-care workers and
competencies in refugee health; migration health data collection and data sharing; the role of health
mediators to support refugees in navigating health systems; immunization; barriers to access and
continuity of care across migration pathways; mental health; and the role of health services in prevention
of human trafficking.
Day 3 (half day). How do we make impact in countries?
Day 3 will focus on learning from country experiences; harnessing collective intelligence and problem-
solving approaches; and achieving a whole-of-route approach for countries across migration trajectories.
Participants
• 53 Member States across the WHO European Region with participation of countries from the
WHO African and Eastern Mediterranean Regions and the Member States of the Pan American
Health Organization
• United Nations agencies, European Commission and relevant partners and stakeholders
• Faculty of international experts in the field of public health.
• Refugee and migrant representatives
Date: February 13, 2024
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ
WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION
ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ
Ms Riina Sikkut
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE Minister of Health
BUREAU RÉGIONAL DE L’EUROPE Ministry of Social Affairs
REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA
ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО Suur-Ameerika 1
Head office: Tallinn
UN City, Marmorvej 51, 10129
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00; Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Estonia
Email:
[email protected]
Website: https://www.who.int/europe
Dear Madam,
Invitation to the first Knowledge Forum on Refugee and Migrant Health
16–18 April 2024, Valletta, Malta
I am delighted to invite you to the First Knowledge Forum on Refugee and Migrant Health, organized by
the WHO Regional Office for Europe in collaboration with the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing of
Malta, which is scheduled to take place on 16–18 April 2024, in Valletta, Malta.
The Knowledge Forum serves as a platform for implementing the recently adopted Action Plan for
Refugee and Migrant Health in the WHO European Region 2023–2030, facilitating the sharing and
exchange of knowledge concerning health, migration and displacement between Member States, partners
and relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, it aims to identify key partnerships for joint interventions across
countries of origin, transit and destination. During the Knowledge Forum, we will address topics relevant
to implementation of the Action Plan, including the employment of migrant health care workers,
immunization, public health aspects of displacement and other relevant subjects.
I invite you to nominate a senior expert whose expertise and insights would significantly contribute to
the success of this interactive forum. We are hoping for active participation that enriches the discussions,
fosters collaboration and contributes to the overall goal of improving health outcomes for refugees and
migrants.
I am pleased to inform you that WHO will arrange and cover the travel and three nights of accommodation
for the nominated representative.
The working language of the meeting will be English. Should you have any questions, please liaise
directly with Mr Jozef Bartovic (
[email protected]) and Ms Simona Melki (
[email protected]).
I look forward to receiving your nomination by 9 March 2024.
Yours very truly,
Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge
Regional Director
Encls: Concept note
UN City, Marmorvej 51 Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00 Email:
[email protected]
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Website: http://www.euro.who.int
Denmark
Copy for information to:
Ms Elen Ohov, Adviser, European Union Affairs and International Co-operation Department, Ministry of Social Affairs
Suur-Ameerika 1, Tallinn, 10122, Estonia
Ms Triin Uusberg, Head, European Union Affairs and International Co-operation Department, Ministry of Social Affairs
Suur-Ameerika 1, Tallinn 10129, Estonia
H.E. Ms Riia Salsa-Audiffren, Ambassador Representative of the Republic of Estonia, Permanent Mission of the Republic
of Estonia to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 28A,
Genève, CH-1209, Switzerland
H.E. Mr William Mart Laanemäe, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Republic of Estonia,
Frederiksgade 19, 4th floor, Copenhagen K, 1265, Denmark
Ms Kristina Köhler, Liaison Officer, WHO Country Office, Estonia, Paldiski Road 81, Tallinn, 10617, Estonia
–2–
Saatja: "WHO EURO Migration Health Programme" <
[email protected]>
Saaja: "Riina Sikkut", "Triin Uusberg", "Elen Ohov"
Teema: Letter from Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, Regional Director, WHO Regional Office for Europe
Kuupäev: 2024-02-14 12:59
Please see the attached correspondence sent from the World Health
Organization, Regional Office for Europe. One or more attachements may be
included.
Veuillez vous référer à la correspondance ci-jointe du Bureau régional de
l'Europe de l'Organisation mondiale de la santé. Une ou plusieurs annexes
peuvent être jointes.
Mit der Bitte um Kenntnisnahme der beiliegenden Korrespondenz (eine oder
mehrere Anlagen), Weltgesundheitsorganisation, Regionalbüro für Europa.
См. прикрепленное письмо от Европейского регионального бюро Всемирной
организации здравоохранения (один или несколько прикрепленных файлов).
Country Implementation Support for Impact Unit
Division of Country Support and Partnerhips
World Health Organization │Regional Office for Europe
UN City - Marmorvej 51 - 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
Phone: +45 45 33 66 87 │Email:
[email protected]