8 October 2023, Erbil, Iraq – In an effort to combat the spread of communicable diseases across Iraq, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) conducted a training session for 40 refugee volunteers who play a pivotal role in sharing critical information within communities of refugees and internally displaced people in Erbil.

The training, done in collaboration with the Kurdistan Regional Government and its Ministry of Health, equipped the refugees with in-depth knowledge about common infectious diseases such as cholera and haemorrhagic fever. The volunteers can now better inform and empower their communities on how to prevent, identify and control these diseases, ultimately contributing to public health and safety across Iraq.