Calling for continued efforts to scale up health services for nearly 1.3 million Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar, the WHO today said the "vulnerable" people remain at risk of diseases and in need of critical services for survival even though six months have passed since the crisis began.
Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar's violence-hit Rakhine state to neighbouring Bangladesh in August when the military cracked down against alleged militant outfits of the community.
Though immense efforts have been made by the Bangladesh government and partner agencies to provide health services, prevent diseases such as cholera and rapidly control outbreaks of measles and diphtheria, the challenges are huge, multiple and evolving, Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director for WHO southeast Asia, said.
"The magnitude of the crisis requires continued efforts and generous contributions by all partners to scale up health services for the vulnerable population," Singh said.
According to a WHO statement, an estimated 688,000 Rohingya people crossed over to Cox's Bazar from Myanmar beginning August 25, 2017, joining nearly 212,500 others who arrived earlier, in one of the largest population movement in the shortest span.
While majority of the refugees are living in Kutapalong and Balukhali mega camps and 11 other clusters of small and big settlements, about 79,000 are living with the host population.
The health needs of this population continue to be immense. Women and young mothers need reproductive health services, Singh said.
The statement stated that an estimated 60,000 children are expected to be born in the camps in the next one year.
Besides newborns, pregnant and young mothers, children, adults and the elderly need basic health services and that for injuries, trauma and various non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and importantly, psychosocial support.
"Water and sanitation, and shelter continues to be far from optimum, increasing the risk of rapid spread of several communicable and water-borne diseases," the regional director said, stressing the need to accelerate efforts to address the key determinants of health on a priority.
For keeping a close watch on the situation, WHO established the Early Warning and Response System (EWARS), early as the crisis started, to rapidly detect and respond to disease outbreak to minimise death and disease.
Additionally, WHO has been periodically carrying out risk assessments to enable Ministry of Health and partners take measures to detect potential health risks and take timely and appropriate measures.
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