Legislation in Greece (combination of a national health system and an insurance-based system)
Asylum seekers are entitled to access free of charge almost all types of medical care and medicines under the condition of lacking enough resources to pay (HIV treatment is however excluded). They can only access these services in public health facilities unless they are employed. In the latter case, they will be eligible to become members of one of the compulsory insurance funds and therefore contribute and co-pay some services, as is the case for all insured persons. The legal framework regarding access to healthcare for asylum seekers has a rather small applicability in practice due to the incapability of the Greek government to acceptably manage asylum applications and implement minimum standards of protection for asylum seekers.
Undocumented migrants face very serious discrimination in Greece. The law prohibits (at the risk of penalty) public entities, including health centres or hospitals, to provide services to them. The only exceptions concern children or adults in need of emergency care until their health has stabilised. This entails that adult undocumented migrants are entitled neither to insurance coverage nor to any other health service free of charge. In practice, however, it seems that health care professionals tend to interpret this concept quite largely.
Given the succinct provisions, it is only possible to state that the law does not prohibit providing healthcare to children of undocumented migrants. In Greece, it is generally interpreted that all children have the right to access health care free of charge; however, effective access is extremely endangered since there are no clear regulations or guidelines seeking to fill the gap of information about health care entitlements and conditions. Unaccompanied children are better protected by law as far as they are mentioned by the legislation establishing the reception conditions for asylum seekers.
Download the Comparative overview of the legislation on access to health care for undocumented migrants and asylum seekers in 16 countries (in English).
Greek news about health care
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) published a report about the impact of the current detention system on the mental health and wellbeing of migrants and asylum seekers arriving in Greece. The report presents data from psychological counselling sessions as well as individual testimonies. It shows that detention can exacerbate existing problems and contribute to new traumas and psychological distress.
Source: MSF, 'Greece, Migrants in detention, lives on hold'
Individuals returned to Greece under the Dublin Regulation are facing multiple violations of their human rights. "The Dublin II trap - Transfers of asylum-seekers to Greece" demonstrates the failure of the Greek authorities to provide a fair asylum procedure. The insufficient provision of accommodation and inadequate access to health care exacerbate the precariousness of asylum seekers' situation even further.
Sources:
- ECRE Weekly Bulletin 26 March 2010
- Amnesty International, 'Flaws in EU's asylum policy leave refugees trapped in Greece without protection'
On Sunday 12 July 2009, Greek authorities evacuated and destroyed a makeshift camp in the port city of Patras where irregular migrants were living. The irregular migrants were living there for several years. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) also expressed concern about the medical and humanitarian condition of the migrants and asylum seekers who were left homeless, as well as those who were arrested and urged authorities to ensure humane living conditions and the provision of medical assistance to this population.
Latest measures include the transfer of clandestines to old army camps, or a 1.000 Euros incentive for migrants who agree to leave voluntarily the country, next to a flight ticket. Frontex considers Greece to be EU's most affected Member States by clandestine immigration, intercepting 146 337 in 2008. EU Commission Vice-President Jacques Barrot, during his visit in Corfou, said he was very dissatisfied with the asylum procedure in Greece, recognising refugee status to only 1% of applicants. But he also stated that the EU could not support Turkey any longer in its efforts to protect its borders if it did not respect its readmission agreement with Greece.
Source : Le Figaro
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