UNHCR: Funding cuts threaten the health of nearly 13 million displaced people

GENEVA – Without adequate resources, an estimated 12.8 million displaced people, including 6.3 million children, could be left without life-saving health interventions in 2025, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency warns today.

The current humanitarian funding crisis, exacerbated by declining health spending in hosting countries, is affecting the scope and quality of public health and nutrition programmes for refugees and host communities, disrupting access to essential services and increasing the risk of disease outbreaks, malnutrition, untreated chronic conditions and mental health issues.

When support for refugee health care is cut, refugees will be forced to pay from their own pockets – but they do not have the funds – and will face challenges accessing already strained public services, overwhelming local clinics and hospitals. With funding cuts also affecting water supply systems, sanitation facilities, and waste management, outbreaks of infectious diseases such as cholera, dysentery, hepatitis and malaria could threaten large populations, with deadly consequences. The funding reduction could significantly reverse progress in HIV responses in humanitarian settings.

Some examples of the impact of funding cuts on health:

In Bangladesh, about 1 million Rohingya refugees face a severe health crisis due to the funding freeze, threatening access to essential medical services. In UNHCR-supported programmes, over 40,000 pregnant women may lose access to critical antenatal care, with 5,000 at risk of delivering in unsafe conditions. Additionally, 19,000 acutely malnourished children may lose life-saving treatment, while 10,000 refugees suffering from life-threatening conditions will be unable to access secondary and tertiary health care. Mental health services are also at risk, with 200,000 refugees potentially losing access to primary health care, including mental health and psychosocial support. Furthermore, 10,000 refugees will not receive Hepatitis C treatment. Without immediate financial support, health-care systems in the refugee camps will collapse, putting thousands of lives at risk.

In Burundi, the suspension of nutrition programmes in several camps means that thousands of refugee children under five may not receive adequate treatment for malnutrition and, without additional support, an estimated 10,000 pregnant refugee women could lose access to antenatal care, heightening the risk of complications and preventable maternal deaths. Local health facilities, already operating beyond capacity, are bracing for a further increase in patient numbers and outbreaks of communicable diseases such as cholera, notably in the Cibitoke province hosting arrivals from DR Congo, where 11 cholera cases have been recorded among Congolese refugees, who are currently receiving treatment.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the health-care system is on the brink of collapse. Financial resources allocated to the sector are inadequate to meet urgent life-saving needs. The 2025 UNHCR health budget has been cut by 87 per cent compared to 2024, triggering severe and immediate consequences. Health facilities are overwhelmed, facing critical shortages of medical staff and supplies. Essential medicines are running low, and referrals for secondary health care are no longer guaranteed. Disruption to the water supply has led to reported cases of cholera, signalling the looming threat of infectious disease outbreaks. The health consequences of funding cuts are expected to be devastating, putting over 520,000 refugees at heightened risk of infectious diseases and death.

All medical treatment for refugees in Egypt has been suspended, except emergency life-saving procedures. The suspensions include planned surgeries, treatment for severe conditions and medication for chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, which if left untreated could lead to dire consequences. At least 20,000 patients will be affected, including many refugees who fled the war in Sudan.

In Ethiopia’s Gambella region, funding cuts have severely impacted nutrition services, leading to the closure of operations in four of seven refugee sites in February. As a result, nine severely malnourished children under five were discharged and referred to outpatient programmes before recovering, likely leading to their deaths. Currently, 980 acute malnutrition cases are being managed by just two staff, significantly compromising their care. The funding shortfall threatens to push 80,000 children under five into life-threatening malnutrition, increasing child mortality rates and long-term health consequences. Shuttering community-based programmes for sexual and reproductive health will likely lead to an increase in maternal and newborn deaths.

Due to funding cuts in Jordan, 43,000 refugees risk losing access to primary health care and cash for health, putting 335,000 women of reproductive age at risk of not receiving essential services for maternal care.

Mozambique's Maratane refugee settlement hosts 8,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, with surrounding host communities also relying on the settlement for services like education and health care. Last year, a UNHCR-supported health care centre in Maratane provided over 80,000 consultations to refugees and host community members. However, this support has been severely impacted by a 50 per cent assistance cut. The funding constraints have also led to significant cuts in mental health and psychosocial support services and supplementary food to improve the nutrition of 300 people. Other critical services, supported by partners, such as medical treatment for survivors of gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health care for women and girls, HIV and TB testing and treatment, and referrals for food assistance for HIV-positive mothers, have also been affected.

The estimate of 12.8 million displaced people potentially being left without health support was based on a survey by UNHCR’s health team of all the global operations where the agency has health programmes. Every day that this financial uncertainty continues will increase the impact on the lives of the millions of men, women and children around the world that have fled their homes to find safety. 

For more information:

In Geneva: William Spindler, spindler@unhcr.org, +41 79 549 5998