Japan provides $3.2m to WHO as assistance to ensure quality health services in Cox's Bazar, Bhasan Char

The government of Japan has allocated $3.2 million to support WHO's efforts aimed at reducing morbidity and preventable mortality among the Rohingya refugees and host community in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char.

An Exchange of Notes was signed by SAIDA Shinichi, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh and Dr Ahmed Jamsheed Mohamed, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Bangladesh, a WHO press release said today.

The new collaboration between the government of Japan and WHO will enable the provision of essential health services to over one million people in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.

According to the release, the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis continues over the past eight years and remains one of the world's largest protracted crises.

Rohingya refugees face high vulnerability due to reliance on humanitarian health services and increased exposure to natural hazards and epidemic-prone diseases such as cholera, hepatitis and dengue. 

Half of the refugees are under 18 years old, and 51 percent  are female, indicating higher vulnerability to the challenging living conditions inside the camps.

In line with the Joint Response Plan, the WHO-Japan joint project will focus on enhancing the health capacity in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char Island. 

This project will play a pivotal role in addressing the gaps for ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare services for the Rohingya and host communities, while promoting health and well-being at both the individual and community levels. 

Additionally, the project will strengthen and sustain the WHO-led Health Sector's capacity for preparedness, public health surveillance, and response to epidemic-prone diseases.