World Refugee Day 2024 – Building bridges for health: the WHO hotline for Ukrainian refugees in Romania

Ukrainian refugees have frequently highlighted language as the greatest barrier to accessing health services in Romania and other refugee-receiving countries. Explaining health issues to Romanian health-care providers, requesting necessary care and providing consent for medical procedures are some of the difficulties they regularly encounter.

In a significant step towards addressing the health-care needs of the Ukrainian diaspora community, the WHO Country Office in Romania launched a free-of-charge translation and interpretation hotline in April, designed to bridge the linguistic barrier between Ukrainian refugees and health service providers. The hotline has received overwhelmingly positive feedback.

Katerina, a Ukrainian hotline user, expressed her gratitude: "Some doctors refuse to see us because we don't speak Romanian. When the official translation hotline became available, I used it without any problems. I was very happy because I didn't have to worry whether the doctor would understand me. It's very good that this line is free of charge, and I can use it at any time if necessary. Thank you very much!"

Oksana, another beneficiary of the hotline, remarked: "I would not have managed without translation. The interpreter was very attentive and pleasant. She helped me solve important issues concerning my health and understand where to go next. I needed this translation service, as do many other Ukrainians."

The new hotline initiative continues to underscore WHO's commitment to ensuring that everyone, everywhere, regardless of their circumstances, has access to the health care they need.

Anastasia, one of the hotline interpreters, shared her experience: "Consulting a doctor is a basic need, but linguistic barriers between patients and physicians can make this very difficult. As a volunteer at a refugee centre in neighbouring Moldova during the early stages of the war in Ukraine, I was able to witness the linguistic difficulties Ukrainians face. This project is very important because it allows refugees to better integrate into Romania and improve the perceived quality of the received medical services, while also helping doctors to conduct consultations more easily."

Dr Caroline Clarinval, WHO Representative in Romania, emphasized, "The hotline not only provides translation services but also serves as a beacon of hope for Ukrainian refugees in Romania. It reaffirms the belief that language should never be a barrier to essential health-care services. As the war in Ukraine continues disrupting the lives of millions, including refugees in Romania, this initiative stands as a testament to compassion, resilience and the power of connection."

WHO in Romania: broader efforts to support Ukrainian refugees

To better understand the health-care needs and gaps of Ukrainian refugees in Romania, WHO conducted a series of qualitative interviews. Insights from the interviews enable Romanian health authorities to take a people-centred approach, ensuring that language does not hinder access to care.

The WHO Country Office in Romania also recruited Ukrainian-speaking cultural mediators that are now deployed across Bucharest, Galați, Cluj, Târgu Mureș and Brașov. These mediators play a crucial role in facilitating communication and understanding between refugees and health-care providers.

Additionally, the Country Office has contracted a team of Romanian general practitioners who register Ukrainian refugees in the system and provide essential health-care services, allowing better access to services in the cities where the biggest communities of Ukrainian citizens live.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.