The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every country's health service and plunged refugees into the most desperate conditions. The plight of Rohingya refugees is among the harshest. COVID-19 has severely affected their existing HIV/STI prevention and management services and further increased the risk of violence and onward HIV transmission within the camps. In this commentary, we discuss the context and the changing dynamics of HIV/AIDS during COVID-19 pandemic, among the Rohingya refugee community in Bangladesh. What we currently observe is the worst crisis in the Rohingya refugee camps thus far. Because of being displaced, Rohingya refugees have increased vulnerability to HIV, STIs and other poor health outcomes. They have inadequate access to HIV testing, treatment, and care. Their host country has poor capacity to provide services. Complex economic, socio-cultural and behavioural factors exacerbate their poor access to HIV testing, treatment, and care. The unfolding COVID-19 pandemic has changed priorities in the Rohingya refugee camps so that more emphasis is being placed on COVID-19 prevention and treatment rather than other health issues. This exacerbates the already dire situation with HIV detection, management, and prevention among the refugees.Although the government of Bangladesh and different non-governmental organisations provide harm reduction, HIV care, and COVID-19 care to refugees, a comprehensive response is needed to maintain and strengthen health programs for refugees, for both HIV and COVID-19 care. This comprehensive response should include behavioural intervention, community mobilisation, and effective treatment and care. Without addressing the disadvantage of social conditions, it will be challenging to reduce the burden of HIV and COVID-19 among refugees. While the COVID-19 crisis is a global challenge, the international community has an obligation to improve the life, livelihood and health of those who are most vulnerable. Rohingya refugees are among them.

Background and Objective: Rohingya refugees are one of the most vulnerable population groups from any perspective, and that certainly includes their sexual and reproductive health and access to appropriate services. This review synthesizes SRH status and needs of Rohingya women of reproductive age, addressing their experiences in accessing services. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, this review employs quality assessment tools (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, MMAT, Cochrane Risk of Bias). The search strategy will be comprehensive, spanning prominent databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. Additionally, a diligent search will extend to gray literature, reference lists, and citations. Synthesis: Employing a narrative synthesis approach, the data synthesis will encompass three critical domains: the SRH status and needs of Rohingya women, the barriers encountered in accessing SRH services, and the effectiveness of existing SRH interventions. Results: The review seeks to provide valuable insights for policymakers and healthcare practitioners, offering a foundation for evidence-based strategies aimed at advancing SRH outcomes among Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and similar Asian contexts. The review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023444386) for transparency and efficiency. Conclusion: Have been made to address the health and humanitarian needs of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, there is still limited knowledge about their SRH.

Introduction: The Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, a severely persecuted ethnic minority of Myanmar, face numerous challenges related to their sexual and reproductive health (SRH), including access to appropriate services. This systematic review examines the SRH status of Rohingya refugee women in Bangladesh, focusing on barriers to accessing SRH services and interventions to address their specific SRH needs. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across databases, including PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus, as well as gray literature, from August 2017 to July 2023. Both quantitative and qualitative studies were included, with data extraction and analysis performed independently by two authors using a narrative synthesis approach. Results: Out of 394 citations, ten studies met the criteria. The findings revealed that 48.9% of Rohingya women were unaware of SRH service access, only 11% received frequent (once fortnightly) visits by family planning personnel, 70% lacked knowledge about HIV/STIs, and over two-thirds believed that family planning required husband approval. The prevalence of contraceptive use was 50.9%, with cultural and religious beliefs and gender dynamics significantly influencing family size decisions. Discussion: Cultural preferences impacted family size decisions, and limited awareness of permanent birth control widened the SRH education gap. The review emphasizes the need for comprehensive, community-based interventions, including door-to-door visits, culturally tailored outreach programs, and SRH education within refugee camps. To address the SRH needs of Rohingya women, adopting a multifaceted approach that promotes SRH education, improves service accessibility, and empowers women to make informed reproductive choices is essential.

Background: Young Rohingya women in Bangladesh are undoubtedly vulnerable to HIV/STIs, but little is known about their awareness or testing behaviours. We assessed HIV/STI awareness and identified factors associated with awareness and testing among Rohingya women aged 15–24 years. Methods: In 2023, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in Cox’s Bazar camps, enrolling 686 Rohingya women aged 15–24 years. Data were collected via interviewer-administered structured questionnaires on HIV/STI awareness, transmission knowledge and testing history. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with HIV/STI awareness and testing. Results: Only 12.4% of participants had heard of HIV, and 9.2% of STIs. Correct knowledge of transmission routes and symptoms was limited. Testing uptake was extremely low: 2.6% had ever tested for HIV, and 2.5% for STIs. Literacy, employment outside the home and recent fieldworker visits were positively associated with awareness (AOR 3.5, 95% CI: 2.1–5.8; AOR 2.6, 95% CI: 1.1–6.0; AOR 2.4, 95% CI: 1.2–4.7). Awareness, in turn, was strongly associated with having ever been tested (AOR 24.8, 95% CI: 7.7–79.5). Conclusion: We uncovered alarmingly low levels of HIV/STI awareness and testing among young Rohingya refugee women, which were associated with important social and structural barriers. Our findings underscore the need for context-specific strategies to expand HIV/STI knowledge, and access to and uptake of HIV/STI testing.

Background: Young Rohingya refugee women in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh have limited knowledge of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and low testing rates. This study explores socio-cultural and structural barriers and facilitators, including the cross-cutting issue of information challenges, affecting their HIV/STI literacy and testing. We present perspectives of young women, men, community leaders and healthcare providers. Methods: We used purposive sampling to select young Rohingya women, men, community leaders and healthcare providers, and conducted a total of 40 in-depth interviews and five focus group discussions. The data were thematically analysed using a socio-ecological framework. Results: Knowledge about HIV/STIs was limited, and misconceptions were common. Access to information and testing was restricted by social and gender norms, as well as structural challenges, such as strict health policies for refugees, the limited of youth-friendly services and fragmented referral systems. Participants also noted the lack of male-friendly HIV/STI services, which matters for women, because untreated male partners increase the risk of reinfection and undermine the effectiveness of women-focused interventions. Mistrust in the healthcare system and poor communication also contributed to lower testing rates. However, participants identified several community-based facilitators that helped raise awareness and increase testing, including home-based HIV/STI education delivered by female health workers, peer testimonies and support, messages from religious leaders, and dedicated youth-friendly spaces. Conclusions: These findings underscore the value of culturally-tailored, community-led approaches that address gender norms and systemic barriers. Female-led education, peer support, and positive faith-based messaging offer promising avenues to improve HIV/STI awareness and testing among young Rohingya refugee women.