The UNHCR Health Stakeholders Coordination Meeting convened on 21 August 2025 at the Hilton Hotel, Petaling Jaya, bringing together key actors working on refugee health in Malaysia. Organised by UNHCR Malaysia in collaboration with healthcare partners, including Organon and various NGOs, the meeting provided a critical platform for aligning efforts, sharing insights, and strengthening partnerships in addressing the healthcare needs of the refugee population in Malaysia.
Professor Victor Hoe from the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, attended the meeting as an invited participant.
Highlights of the Programme
The meeting opened with remarks by Louise Irene Aubin, UNHCR Representative in Malaysia, who reinforced the importance of collective responsibility in refugee healthcare. She shared the refugee health landscape in Malaysia: Malaysia hosts over 204,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, with 69% of them of working age and 29% children. A significant majority are from Myanmar, including Rohingya and Chin communities, with high concentrations in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Johor.
Dr Susheela Balasundaram provided an update on UNHCR’s current public health and community-based initiatives, including a session on UNHCR’s ongoing work in sexual and reproductive health (SRH).
This was followed by impactful presentations such as:
- “Refugee Health Concerns” by Simin Azarmehr (Refugee Advisory Board), who outlined community health challenges faced by refugees.
- “Antenatal Care Guidelines” by Dr Nadiyah Md Alun (Klinik Kesihatan Balakong), which highlighted the national colour-coding system for maternal risk management.
- “Smart Spacing, Stronger Families” by Dr Wan Hilya Munira Mustapha (National Population and Family Development Board), discussing the role of Implanon in advancing maternal health.
- Updates from grassroots partners, including the Malaysian Red Crescent and The Red Refuge, who showcased their outreach and healthcare services for refugee women and families.
Implications for Public and Occupational Health
This coordination meeting underscored the complex intersection of healthcare, policy, and humanitarian response in refugee settings. It made clear how important it is to have integrated, culturally sensitive healthcare strategies that are both preventive and responsive.
For public health professionals, particularly in academic and research settings, such meetings offer an invaluable opportunity to align research efforts with real-world needs. There is a growing importance to academic-public partnerships in designing data-informed, community-centred health interventions for displaced populations.
Malaysia’s refugee health landscape requires a sustained, collaborative effort, one that engages health authorities, academic institutions, civil society, and international partners. Meetings like this provide a strategic avenue to harmonise efforts and advocate for policy shifts towards more inclusive health systems.
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