Estonia has become the first country in the world to embed the WHO Global Competency Standards for refugee and migrant health into its national medical education system. The milestone was achieved through the integration of the standards into the curriculum at the University of Tartu, where they are offered as a referenced elective e-course. This initiative aligns Estonia’s medical training with international benchmarks aimed at promoting culturally sensitive, equitable and people-centred health services, ensuring that future health professionals are equipped to address the specific needs of refugees and migrants.
The standards were developed under the World Health Organization Special Initiative on Health and Migration. They outline the essential competencies and behaviours required to deliver quality care to displaced populations and are structured around five core domains: people-centredness, communication, collaboration, evidence-informed practice and personal conduct. These domains guide health workers in addressing challenges such as language and cultural barriers, ethical considerations and psychosocial support, strengthening their ability to provide inclusive and responsive care.
Through the elective course, medical students and practicing health professionals can engage directly with these competency areas and apply inclusive approaches in both clinical and community settings. Introducing the standards early in professional training enhances understanding of not only medical science but also the broader social and cultural determinants of health, reinforcing equitable healthcare delivery across diverse populations.
The initiative builds on broader efforts across the WHO European Region to strengthen workforce capacity in refugee and migrant health. Training programmes on the competency standards have also been conducted in Latvia and Romania, particularly for professionals supporting refugees from Ukraine, helping to promote trauma-informed and culturally responsive care across Europe.
Estonia’s integration of the standards provides a practical and scalable model for other countries seeking to enhance health workforce preparedness within existing education structures. The effort forms part of a wider regional collaboration supported by the European Union and the International Organization for Migration to improve access to healthcare services for refugees and displaced people from Ukraine. Funded under the EU4Health programme, the project was implemented between 2023 and 2025 in ten European countries, reinforcing coordinated regional action to strengthen inclusive health systems.
