Refugee health update

Worldwide there are over 43 million people who have been forcibly displaced from their place of residence. Of these, over 15 million are refugees and some 27 million have been displaced within their own country. Australia accepts 13 to 14,000 people each year on humanitarian grounds as refugees (see the box on page 80). This number has been relatively stable over the last 20 years.

Refugees arrive from many countries and health issues can be different between regions. Although many refugees are in good health, they may be at risk of medical conditions that have been contracted overseas and conditions relating to malnutrition or trauma prior to arrival.