Chief Commissioner Office for the Afghan Refugees in Pakistan (CCAR), in partnership with International Rescue Committee (IRC), here on Tuesday unveiled the “Health Status Report for Afghan Refugees” which provides a comprehensive overview of the current health landscape confronting Afghan refugees residing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Chief Commissioner for Afghan Refugees, Muhammad Abbas Khan in his remarks on the occasion noted that amidst the challenges of displacement, the issue of healthcare for Afghan refugees in Pakistan emerges as a critical concern, demanding urgent attention and action. He observed that the report highlights the strain on Pakistan’s healthcare system, exacerbated by the influx of Afghan refugees, and the imperative need of aligning interventions with global frameworks such as the UN Global Compact on Refugees. He further stated that this study has laid foundations to conduct a national study of the health status of refugees residing in Pakistan.
On behalf of CCAR he pledged to work collaboratively with all stakeholders for implementing actionable recommendations of strengthening community-level healthcare interventions to advocating for policy changes at the highest levels.
Dr Fayaz Ahmad, eminent public health expert and lead author of the report presented the scope, key findings, and salient recommendations of the report. The report highlights the multifaceted challenges faced by Afghan refugees, ranging from access to healthcare services to socio-economic determinants of health.
The findings indicate that the public sector PHC level facilities (BHUs and RHCs) catering for the needs of refugee populations are working under severe resource constraints and struggle to cope with this additional workload. These facilities require additional support to extend uninterrupted services for both host and refugee communities.
At the policy level there is a dire need to explore feasible options for the extension of the Sehat Saulat program or a similar insurance package for Afghan Refugees. Further advocate with relevant stakeholders for the inclusion of refugees in the district and facility budgeting and planning exercises.Lastly, working closely with the HMIS unit to ensure that the routine data collected through DHIS can be segregated by the nationality of the clients.
