Global Health and Migration unit (GHM)
The World Health Organization designated Global Health and Migration unit (GHM), at the Department of Women's and Children's Health at Uppsala University as a WHO Collaborating Center on Migration and Health Data and Evidence. The designation as WHO Collaborating Centre is effective for a period of four years, starting from 16, September 2021 and will automatically end on 16, September 2025 unless a re-designation is approved by WHO before that date.
Inaugurated of the collaborating center on 13th May 2022
WHO’s newest collaborating centre, the Collaborating Centre on Migration and Health Data and Evidence, was inaugurated at Uppsala University, Sweden on 13 May 2022.
Read the news article about the Inauguration of the collaborating center

Prof. Andreas Mårtensson (Dept. Of Women’s and Children’s health, UU), Soorej Jose Puthoopparambil (Head- WHO CC, Dept. Of Women’s and Children’s health, UU), Prof Vytenis Andriukaitis (WHO Special Envoy for the European Region), Frank Laczko, (Director, GMDAC, International organization for Migration (IOM)), Ylva Johansson (Commissioner for Home Affairs, European Commission), Anders Nordström (Ambassador for Global Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden), Karin Tegmark Wisell, (Director General, Public Health Agency of Sweden)
Thomas Lindén, (Director, Department for Knowledge-Based Policy of Health Care, National Board of Health and Welfare), Prof Joakim Palme (Dept. of Government, UU), Rifat Hossain (Technical Officer, WHO Health and Migration Programme, WHO HQ), Prof IngerSundström Poromaa (Head of the department, Dept. Of Women’s and Children’s health, Uppsala University) and Elisabeth Waagensen (Technical Officer, Migration and Health Programme, WHO Regional Office for Europe)
Activities that will be carried out as WHO Collaborating Centre (WHO CC)
- To support the WHO with the development and synthesis of regional questionnaires and progress reports on refugee and migrant health.
- At the request of the WHO, collaborate and inform development of technical guidance on the inclusion of refugees and migrants in selected areas of health policies and initiatives.
- Support the WHO in capacity building exercises for healthcare professionals and other stakeholders through development and training activities in refugee and migrant health.
- Assist WHO with the production of the Global report on the health of refugees and migrants by providing assistance for WHO regional offices in collecting, compiling and analysing regional level data on refugee and migrant health and support the production of regional reviews.
Subjects
- Health information; statistics; measurement & trend assessment
- Health promotion & education
- Social Determinants of health
Types of activity:
- Collection and collation of information
- Product development (guidance; manual; methodologies; etc.)
- Training and education
Further details are available on the WHO Collaborating Centres global database.
News
Workshops in Uppsala
To address the severe health impacts of immigration detention, WHO/Europe, together with its Collaborating Centre on Migration and Health Data and Evidence at Uppsala University, held a 2-day in-person training course in May at Uppsala University.
Launch of the GHM and WHO collaboration
On May 13th, 2022 the official ceremony to celebrate the launch of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Migration and Health Data and Evidence at Uppsala University to place.
Inauguration of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Migration and Health Data and Evidence
Sweden’s first WHO Collaborating Centre for Migration and Health
Global Health and Migration unit (GHM) at Uppsala University’s Department of Women's and Children's Health has been appointed as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Migration and Health – the first Swedish institution and fourth worldwide in this category.
Sveriges första WHO-center för migration och hälsa (only in Swedish)
Heads of the Centre
- Soorej Jose PUTHOOPPARAMBIL
Senior Lecturer at Department of Women's and Children's Health
Email: soorej.jose@kbh.uu.se
- Inger Sundström POROMAA
Professor and Head of Department of Women's and Children's Health
Responsible Officer:
- Elisabeth WAAGENSEN
Technical Officer, Migration and Health programme
Division of Country Support and Emergency Preparedness and Response, WHO Regional Office for Europe
Technical Counterpart:
- Santino SEVERONI
Director Health and Migration Program (PHM)-Office of the Deputy Director-General, World Health Organization