India, May 25 -- To strengthen and advance public health services for millions of forcibly displaced people globally, two United Nations signed an agreement on Thursday to better protect some 70 million from COVID-19.

The new pact, signed by the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN refugee agency (UNHCR), updates and expands a 1997 agreement between the two and covers around 26 million people - 80 per cent of whom are refugees sheltering in low and middle-income countries with weak health systems.The revised contract also provides assistance to another 40 million who are internally displaced."UNHCR's long-term partnership with WHO is critical to curb the coronavirus pandemic and other emergencies - day in, day out, it is im...