Coordination and Leadership
The Health Sector completed the 2025 Public Health Needs Assessment (PHNA) in Rohingya Refugee Camps in October 2024. This assessment identified key health concerns, evaluated service accessibility and quality, and provided recommendations for improvement. Two questionnaires were used: one for Rohingya households (670 surveyed) and another for health service providers (268 healthcare workers and 25 NGOs surveyed).
A dissemination workshop on October 27, 2024, shared the findings with over 50 participants from 30 health sector partners. Key priorities include continuing primary healthcare services, managing NCDs, disease control, expanding secondary healthcare, emergency preparedness, and enhancing community health services. Mental health and NCDs, especially hypertension among persons with disabilities, were highlighted as critical needs. NCDs and long-term health conditions were found in 40% of households.
The assessment also noted medicine shortages, the need for medical devices, and accessibility challenges for persons with disabilities and the elderly. Recommendations emphasized sustaining primary and secondary healthcare, improving service quality, and strengthening community-based health approaches.
Details can be found on the PHNA Dashboard: https://rohingyaresponse.org/sectors/coxsbazar/ health/#assessments
WHO and Health Sector Cox’s Bazar Information Management Unit (IMU) cleaned and analysed the PHNA 2025 data, shared the findings, and developed a dashboard based on these findings. This dashboard was disseminated to Health Sector partners and published on the Health Sector's official webpage: https://rohingyaresponse.org/sectors/coxs-bazar/health/#assessments
To support the integration of the Prevention and Response to Sexual Misconduct (PRSM) in the humanitarian response in Rohingya Refugee Camps, WHO, in collaboration with the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Network in Cox’s Bazar, organized a comprehensive training, on the 9th and 14th of October, on mainstreaming PSEA in humanitarian and emergency response services. The training was attended by 55 sector focal points from government institutions, INGOs, and NGOs, including 24 from the Shelter-Camp Coordination and Camp Management (SCCCM) sector and 31 from the WASH sector. The main objective was to strengthen the capacity of these focal points to integrate PSEA into their respective sectors. Similar training will be conducted with other humanitarian sector focal points to enhance their knowledge of PSEA.
Two annual orientation and refresher training sessions were conducted for 46 WSO staff and 131 WCO Dhaka staff. These sessions refreshed staff knowledge of WHO policies for preventing and responding to sexual misconduct and other abusive behaviours. Participants were also educated on the PRSM Accountability framework and the survivor-centred approach. The training sessions provided an opportunity to update staff on the findings from the 2023 WCO Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) risk assessment and the progress of mitigation actions. Reflecting on key insights from the 2023 United Nations’ SEA Annual staff survey helped deepen understanding of SEA red flag perceptions among some staff, underscoring the importance of continually strengthening staff knowledge about PSEA.
To support health staff in administering the correct treatment to Gender-Based Violence, Intimate Partner Violence, and Sexual Violence (GBVIPV and SV) survivors, tools such as the Clinical Management of Rape and Intimate Partner Violence (CMRIPV) treatment flowchart protocol and guidelines, along with the GBV registry, were distributed to health partner facilities in Teknaf and Ukhiya. These tools ensure that health staff can provide the appropriate treatment according to age and dosage, and the GBV registry helps harmonise the recording of GBVIPV and SV cases handled at these facilities.
To integrate Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE) prevention and response into action plans and strategies on minimising GBV risk and improving referral mechanisms across different sectors, the GBViE consultant attended six meetings, including the GBV Sub Sector monthly meeting, MHPSS meeting, PSEA Network meeting, Health Sector coordination meeting, SRH WG meeting, and Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group (GIHA WG) meeting. Consequently, in the JRP 2025, most working groups have advised their members to consider GBV risk mitigation in their activities and structures. WHO, with support from the Health Sector, plans to follow up on these actions planned by different actors.
To connect survivors and those at risk of GBV to the necessary services, the GBV referral pathway was revised in collaboration with the GBV SS, Child Protection Sub Sector (CP SS), and the protection sector for all camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf. The finalized referral pathway establishes a clear system for reporting and receiving assistance in the camps, helping survivors and service providers to know where to go for support.