Newsletter - Octobre 2010 - numéro 20 (en anglais)

NEWS OF THE EUROPEAN DECLARATION OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

 

• The SCED/CPME disseminated widely the call for signature of the European Declaration first signatory at EU level The Standing Committee for European Doctors (SCED, better known as CPME) sent a press release, in which it supports the EU Declaration of health professionals "Towards non-discriminatory access to health care" to all their media and political contacts, and in the first place to their own members, i.e. 27 national medical associations ; they also presented it to the European Health Policy Forum, a core group of civil society organisations working with the DG SANCO. Thanks to their commitment, the promotion of the Declaration hangs through a banner on the health, justice and social Europe webpages of Euractiv.com, a first plan European news site.

 

• The World Medical Association (WMA) revised its policy and made a statement on medical care for migrants at their General Assembly (in Vancouver, Canada, from October 13 to 16), following an initiative of the Swedish Medical association (that works closely with the Right to health initiative, the coalition of organisations MdM Sweden is part of and that is advocating for the right to healt for migrants). They stated that « to support and promote the right of all people to receive medical care on the basis of clinical need alone and to speak out against legislation and practices that are in opposition to this fundamental right » and that « that refugees, including asylum seekers, refused asylum seekers and undocumented migrants, as well as internally displaced persons in all regions were among the most vulnerable in society and international codes of human rights and medical ethics declared that all people were entitled without discrimination to appropriate medical care. Physicians could not be compelled to (...) administer any non-medically justified diagnostic treatment ». Full text here.

 

• The European declaration of health professionals was presented in Brussels together with the exhibition "Exil, exit" between the 22 and 31 October. The photo exhibition "Exil, Exit" bears witness on the living conditions, health status, and access to healthcare facing undocumented migrants in Europe - people among the poorest, most excluded and most discriminated against. This exhibition aims to question the visitors on concepts such as exile, wandering, survival.

 

• The European declaration of health professionals was launched in the Netherlands at the beginning of November 2010 together with the opening of the photo exhibition "Exil, Exit".

 

• Up to now, more than 3 800 health professionals and 40 health organisations from 19 EU countries have signed the European Declaration. At EU level, many European organisations of heath professionals signed and at national levels, some medical national organisations also, such as the Conseil de l'ordre des médecins in France, the Czech medical chamber, the Fédération nationale des infirmières belges in Belgium, etc.

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

FRANCE restricting access to state medical aid, after attacking the legislation to protect seriously ill foreigners (October 2010). As part of the law on the budget for 2011, the conditions to access to the AME (state medical insurance for undocumented migrants) were discussed by the French Parliament. Following propositions of the right party, the proposal requesting adult undocumented migrants to pay an annual contribution of 30 € to benefit from the AME and requesting an authorisation from the French heath administration office (CPAM) to validate that a beneficiary of the AME will receive hospital care was voted by the members of Parliament. It will be voted by the Senate within a few weeks and if voted, would come into force in 2011, putting an end of free access to health care for undocumented migrants in France. Collective action is being taken by Médecins du Monde and other key organisations in France against this measure on grounds that it is dangerous in terms of public health, economically unsound as well as socially unjust and discriminatory.

Sources :

- Médecins du Monde, « Démantèlement de l'Aide médicale d'Etat : La Ministre de la santé renonce à défendre la santé des plus pauvres »

- GISTI, « Attaques contre l'Aide Médicale d'État : opposition des associations »

 

 

SPAIN: PP willing to hinder access to basic rights

In the framework of the elections in Catalonia, the « Popular party » proposes that the municipalities report the registration with the local authorities ("empadronamiento") to the police in order to control irregular migration. Through this registration, people, including undocumented migrants, have access to healthcare and education.

Source: El País, "El PP catalán lleva el endurecimiento del padrón a su programa electoral"

 

 

SWEDEN stops returning asylum seekers to Greece

Sweden has ceased the transfer of asylum seekers to Greece, under the Dublin Regulation. Sweden follows here the example of Belgium, the UK, Iceland and Norway, which have already stopped sending asylum seekers to Greece and are examining the cases nationally. Furthermore, Austria's Constitutional Court ruled that vulnerable asylum seekers must not be sent back to Greece. The Netherlands is also suspending transfers for those who challenge the decision to be transferred to Greece under the Dublin Regulation.

Source: ECRE weekly bulletin, 5 November 2010

UK: "continued shameful neglect of migrants' health" when deported and in the detention centers

"It has come to light that people removed to countries where yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for entry are not given the vaccine. How does the Home Office get round this requirement? (...) Last month, the charity Medical Justice summarised its findings on mistreatment of children in detention centres in its report 'State Sponsored Cruelty': Children in immigration detention. Among 50 children facing removal, there was inadequate immunisation or administration of incorrect prophylactic drugs. Any country that purports to uphold human rights and look after its vulnerable people has a duty to ensure that required prevention and treatment is given to all. Cutting corners in the treatment of asylum seekers and their children is simply disgraceful."

Sources:

- The Lancet, Vol. 376, Issue 9751, Page 1438, 30 October 2010

- Medical Justice, http://www.medicaljustice.org.uk/images/stories/reports/sscfullreport.pdf

PUBLICATIONS

• « Santé des étrangers : l'autre double peine » : what impact do discriminations have on health status? Studies show that people living in precarious conditions are particularly vulnerable. Foreigners cumulating risk factors are unsurprisingly the most discriminated against.

GISTI, Plein droit n°86, octobre 2010

 

• "Unaccompanied Minors' Rights within the European Union: Is the EU Asylum and Immigration Legislation in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child?", legal paper by Marie Diop (120 pages, pdf).

 

• Undocumented Migrants in Switzerland: Geographical Origin Versus Legal Status as Risk Factor for Tuberculosis

J Immigrant Minority Health (2010) 12:18-23

 

• The self-reported health of legal and illegal/irregular immigrants in the Czech Republic

International Journal of Public Health, vol. 55, n°5, 401-411

PAST EVENTS

• "Access to health care for vulnerable children and pregnant women", a MdM-Belgium conference, took place on 21 October 2010. It allowed MdM Belgium, other organisations and representatives from regional and federal authorities to discuss the proposal drafted by MdM on access to healthcare for pregnant women and children under 6 years old. See the proposal (in French)

• "Reducing Health Inequalities from a regional perspective - what works, what does not?", a Regions for health network conference aimed at examining how regional policy and stakeholders can efficiently eliminate disparities in health by addressing the social determinants of health. A poster proposed by HUMA and MdM Germany presented MdM-Germany's open.med programme and its work in close cooperation with the local municipality. See the poster

 

• 3^rd European public health conference, 10-13 November in Amsterdam

This conference's main theme was 'Integrated public health'. One of the transversal themes of the conference was "migrants' health", and many workshops focused on this theme, such as: Migration and health in the European Union; Mental Health Care for Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Irregular Migrants in Europe; Health care for migrant and ethnic minorities; Closing the health gap: addressing health inequalities and inequity faced by Roma in health care,... Benoit Blondel, from HUMA took part in the conference.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Doctors of the World UK is hosting two conferences in November, entitled: 'Ensuring access to healthcare for the community's most vulnerable migrants in the age of austerity'. Both events are being held in conjunction with the HUMA network. The conferences will include talks and workshops on health inequalities in the UK with a focus on access to healthcare for undocumented migrants and asylum seekers. These are particularly aimed at medical professionals and will deal with the practical as well as ethical problems that arise when providing healthcare to these vulnerable groups, and possible solutions for frontline healthcare staff. The Birmingham conference will be held on Wednesday 24th November, 2010; the London conference will be held on Saturday 27th November.

 

• "Ensuring justice and protection for all children" is organized by the Fundamental rights Agency on 7-8 December 2010, with the Belgian presidency. This conference will seek to explore avenues for State authorities to protect vulnerable children against violations of their rights, considering in particular the situation of child victims of domestic violence, separated and unaccompanied children, child victims of trafficking, children with intellectual disabilities. The access to fundamental services, such as education, health, psychological support, will be considered.

 

• Preventing Undocumented Women and Children from Accessing Health Care: Fostering Health Inequalities in Europe, is a public hearing initiated by HUMA network together with PICUM, EAPN and the European Women Lobby, and is co-organised by different political parties. It will take place on 8 December 2010 (Brussels, 16h-18h). The draft programme is available on HUMA network's website.