Health Systems Must Adapt to Climate and Migration Crises, WHO Warns

As climate change continues to reshape global health and migration patterns, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark call for action: health systems must urgently adapt to meet the needs of climate-affected migrant and displaced populations.

In its newly released report “Health System Strengthening Interventions to Improve the Health of Displaced and Migrant Populations in the Context of Climate Change,” WHO highlights how climate change is not only driving displacement but also compounding health vulnerabilities. The report is the seventh in the WHO’s Global Evidence Review on Health and Migration (GEHM) series.

Unveiled at the Global Conference on Climate and Health in Brasília, a pre-COP30 event co-hosted by the Government of Brazil, WHO, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the report underscores the urgent need for inclusive, climate-resilient health systems.

Climate Change as a Risk Multiplier

In 2023 alone, over 20 million people were internally displaced by sudden-onset weather events. By 2050, that number could surge to 216 million, driven by climate-related impacts. WHO warns that climate change acts as a risk multiplier, intensifying extreme weather, environmental degradation, and food insecurity, while also enabling the spread of disease.

“Climate change is reshaping the drivers of migration and displacement, with serious consequences for health,” said Dr. Santino Severoni, Director of Health and Migration at WHO. “To respond effectively, health systems must adapt, ensuring that migrant and displaced populations are not an afterthought, but integral to health system planning, delivery and resilience.”

Gaps in Long-Term Strategies

The report analyzed 95 health system interventions across all WHO regions. While most focused on emergency care, mental health, and water and sanitation (WASH) in crisis-affected settings, long-term strategies remain rare. Only six interventions included actions to mitigate climate change itself. Crucial areas like health financing, data systems, and integration of migrants into national health plans were frequently overlooked.

“Climate-resilient health systems must also be migrant-inclusive,” said Dr. Maria Neira, WHO’s Director of Environment, Climate Change and Migration. “That means moving beyond reactive responses to deliver long-term, equitable care.”

Policy Roadmap for Inclusive Resilience

To strengthen health systems in the face of climate change and migration, the World Health Organization highlights six key policy priorities: the inclusion of migrant and displaced communities in health planning and delivery; bridging research gaps through interdisciplinary studies; adopting proactive strategies to anticipate future climate-health challenges; implementing a whole-of-route approach to ensure continuous care across migration pathways; integrating core public health functions such as surveillance and emergency preparedness into national systems; and establishing coordinated governance and financing that align climate, migration, and health agendas through strong leadership and sustainable investment.

“To protect health in the face of climate change and mobility, we must design health systems that are both resilient and inclusive,” added Dr. Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion.