#22 | WHO Global School on Refugee and Migrant Health: From Policy to Action

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal, we examine the Sixth WHO Global School on Refugee and Migrant Health, a flagship capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening leadership and policy responses to migrant and refugee health worldwide.Human mobility is reshaping global health systems. Today, more than one billion people worldwide are on the move, including approximately 117 million forcibly displaced individuals. Refugees and migrants often face significant barriers to health services, including legal, financial, linguistic and social obstacles that limit access to care. The Sixth Global School on Refugee and Migrant Health was convened by the World Health Organization from 9–11 December 2025 in Geneva, bringing together around 1200 participants from 143 countries, including policymakers, health professionals, researchers and representatives from civil society and international organizations. The event focused on the theme “Leadership in health and migration: policies and actions across countries”, highlighting how stronger governance, cross-sector collaboration and evidence-informed policies can improve health outcomes for migrants and refugees. Participants discussed strategies to:• integrate migrant and refugee health into universal health coverage• strengthen primary health care systems serving displaced populations• improve mental health and psychosocial support for migrants• promote inclusive and culturally sensitive health services• enhance international cooperation and policy coordinationSince its launch, the WHO Global School on Refugee and Migrant Health has trained thousands of professionals worldwide, serving as an important platform for policy dialogue, knowledge exchange and capacity building in migrant health governance. The WHO emphasizes that improving health services for refugees and migrants requires not only humanitarian assistance but also sustainable health system reforms that ensure equitable access to care for all populations. Original WHO source discussed in this episode:https://www.who.int/news/item/31-01-2026-the-sixth-who-global-school-on-refugee-and-migrant-health--leadership-from-policies-to-actionThe GMJ Podcast accompanies peer-reviewed publications and global health policy discussions published in the Georgian Medical Journal.Journal website:https://gmj.ge/index.php/pub/index#გიორგიფხაკაძე #drpkhakadze #sheniekimi