Advancing Universal Health Coverage for refugees and migrants: highlights from the fifth edition of the Global School

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) ensures that all individuals and communities receive essential health services without financial hardship. 1The United Nations' 2023 high-level meeting reaffirmed the global commitment to UHC, emphasizing national ownership and government responsibility in prioritizing it. 2 Achieving UHC is firmly agreed to be an indispensable goal in country health system agendas and policies, and as public health approach for population's better health outcomes.This vision is unattainable without addressing the unique needs of refugees and migrants.The significance of this challenge has grown, with 281 million international migrants in 2020 3 and 123 million forcibly displaced individuals recorded by 2024. 4 Migration profoundly impacts health outcomes due to barriers like limited healthcare access, poor living and working conditions, and social discrimination.These factors exacerbate vulnerabilities, leading to poorer health outcomes for migrants compared to host populations. 5Addressing these challenges requires tackling the social determinants of health and integrating inclusive policies, aligning with UHC's core principle of equity and the global right to health for all.In this context, the 5th edition of the WHO Global School on Refugee and Migrant Health convened in Colombia from December 2-6, 6 under the theme "Advancing Universal Health Coverage for Refugees and Migrants: From Evidence to Action".Over 3000 participants engaged virtually to translate knowledge into sustainable policies and practices addressing migrant and displaced populations' health needs, fostering intercountry and inter-regional knowledge exchange through shared country experiences.