Published: 13 June 2023
1st year Global Health MSc student William Revell recently met US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resource Richard Verma at a World Health Organisation (WHO) event in Bucharest, Romania. William was attending having been hired by WHO Romania to help coordinate the refugee response as a result of the ongoing conflict within Ukraine.
William says, “I am part of the WHO team responsible for the coordination of health operations responding to the refugee crisis in Romania caused by people fleeing Ukraine. As reported in the news, the burst dam in Kherson is something we are aware of and continue to monitor as 42,000 people now face displacement, a number of which may decide to find refuge in Romania. We will be ensuring there are preparations for health infrastructure to react to this confidently.
“I have found the job can also be extremely varied with coordination in different specialisations (such as Mental Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Digital Health etc.) to ensure efficiency and quality of care. Away from the crisis response, I’m involved in the development of WHO Romania within the public eye, increasing exposure through events like our recent WHO75 event celebrating historical health development in the country. This was held at Romania’s University of Medicine “Carol Davila” and attended by the Romanian health minister along with diplomats and some of the country's top physicians.
I have been in Romania for two months now and the learning curve has been intense. The role has allowed me to gain a greater understanding of the public health efforts that take place in the United Nations, and the major financial and operational investment needed to provide true humanitarian coverage.
- Will Revell -
“It was great to be a member of the WHO team who met Richard Verma at RomExpo in Bucharest in May. The team and I were able to speak about the assistance in healthcare that has been provided to Ukrainian refugees, such as mental health and psychosocial support, gynaecological and women's health services as well as overall coordination efforts. We also spoke of access issues and overcoming language barriers which continue to be a significant problem for Ukrainian refugees in Romania.
“Overall, I am proud to be part of the work that the World Health Organisation does, especially with respect to the ongoing situation with Ukraine. I hope to continue developing and improving my ability to coordinate and provide better public health service within the WHO, along with being able to represent St George's!”