Islamabad: The Chief Commissioner for Afghan Refugees in Pakistan (CCAR) in collaboration with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has released the ‘Health Report for Afghan Refugees’, a comprehensive overview of the current health status of Afghan refugees living in Khyber. Pakhtunkhwa.
Mohammad Abbas Khan (Chief Commissioner of Afghan Refugees) said that health care for Afghan refugees in Pakistan needs urgent attention and action among the problems of displacement. The report highlights the challenges facing Pakistan’s health care system as the number of Afghan refugees increases and the need to align interventions with global frameworks such as the UN Global Compact on Refugees. He also said that the study laid the foundation for a national study on the health status of refugees living in Pakistan.
On behalf of CCAR, he pledged to work with all stakeholders to implement effective recommendations to strengthen community level health interventions to support change at the highest level.
Prominent public health expert and lead author of the report Dr. Fayaz Ahmad presented the scope of the report, key findings and key recommendations. The report highlights the diverse challenges faced by Afghan refugees, from health care to socioeconomic determinants.
The results show that public sector PHC-level facilities (BHUs and RHCs) serving the needs of the refugee population operate under resource constraints and struggle to cope with this additional workload. These facilities require additional support to expand the continuum of services for host and refugee communities.
At the policy level, there is an urgent need to explore possible options for expanding the Sehat Saulat program or similar insurance packages for Afghan refugees. In addition, consult with relevant stakeholders on refugee resettlement and budgeting and facility planning. Finally, work closely with the HMIS department to ensure that data regularly collected through DHIS can be disaggregated by customer nationality.
The session was followed by questions and comments from representatives of ECHO, UN BMCK, UN-IOM, PRM, GIZ and other organizations that commission programs with Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
Shabnam Buluch, Country Director, IRC-Pakistan, said in conclusion that climate-related challenges require us to rethink our approach to healthcare. He said the report’s findings highlight the critical need for contextual interventions to address the multifaceted health needs of Afghan refugees. From entry barriers to financial constraints, the report highlights key areas that require immediate attention and action. In addition, it emphasizes the importance of community-level health interventions that support the establishment of community-based health networks in refugee communities for the benefit of both refugees and host communities.
