WHO Cox’s Bazar: Rohingya emergency crisis - Situation Report: May 2024

Coordination and Leadership

According to WHO surveillance data as of June 2, 2024, a Hepatitis C screening was conducted on 4,662 Rohingya individuals, with 38%, or 1,757, identified as suspected cases through Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT). Further analysis on 1,611 samples for Hepatitis C RNA has been processed for 725 samples to date, revealing that 73.8%, or 535 samples, were positive for HCV RNA. This high positivity rate is even more pronounced among pregnant women, where 77.5%, or 62 out of 80 tested, were found to have detectable HCV RNA. In response, WHO is collaborating with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and other partners to explore options for procuring costly medications and diagnostic tools to address Hepatitis C on a larger scale.

To enhance global health initiatives and ensure that essential health services are maintained and delivered effectively, the WHO-led Health Sector working with health partners and the Global Health Cluster, has developed the Essential Health Service Package (EHSP) guidelines. These key guidelines are set to be distributed in a workshop planned for July or August.

Partnering with SAG associates, the health sector has begun strategically evaluating the staffing standards for secondary healthcare institutions. An upcoming review of the Essential Medicine List will further support this initiative. This initiative aims to contribute to building a more resilient and responsive healthcare system within the Rohingya camps, ultimately leading to improved health and well-being for the community.

During the reporting period, the PRS team focused on enhancing new staff skills at WCO, WSO and third-party contractors and partners in the Prevention and Response of Sexual Misconduct (PRSM). To this end, three PRSM orientation sessions were held for various groups: 16 new WCO employees (9 from WCO and 7 from WSO), 20 third-party Immunization Field Monitor (IFM) staff, and 14 members of the WHE Health Cluster.

These sessions aimed to increase awareness and comprehension among participants regarding PRSM’s significance within WHO and the Organization’s efforts to combat sexual and other forms of abusive behaviour. The sessions included a review of WHO’s Policy on Addressing Sexual Misconduct (PASM) and Policy on Addressing Abusive Conduct (PAAC), clarifying the participants’ duties in preventing not just sexual misconduct but also being vigilant about other types of abuses. The orientation sessions also provided practical training on the procedures for reporting incidents of sexual or other abusive behaviour to the Internal Oversight Services (IOS)