Swedish Healthcare excludes undocumented migrant children
MSF: Stockholm - Undocumented migrant children in Sweden do not have sufficient access to healthcare. That is the experience of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) after 15 months of referrals of 'gomda,' the hidden migrants in Swedish society, to a network of volunteer health workers.
Well, isn't it a shame their parents don't document them.
Some minors are turned away by hospital staff, others do not access health services out of fear or because of the high financial charges.
Seems like a justified fear. Healthcare isn't free after all.
MSF has been running a project in the Stockholm area since 2004, offering healthcare for failed asylum-seekers and other undocumented migrants. During 2004, MSF arranged for 502 medical consultations.
"Some of the children we meet have previously been refused care at a hospital due to their status while others had to pay €250 to see a doctor or up to €1,100 for surgery," explained MSF's Head of Mission, Mattias Ohlson.
Awwww. You mean they had to pay for healthcare? Like every other human being on the planet? Why do some people feel this should be escapable just by moving to another country?
"In addition, many parents were too afraid to take their child to the hospital. They feared that someone would turn them into the migration authorities or the police, something which unfortunately has happened."
Uh, yeah, I would hope so. Unfortunate? Not so much. Should have thought about that earlier.
Sweden was among the first countries to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Today, 15 years later and despite criticism from the EU Commission, the Swedish healthcare system still excludes some categories of children, arguing that they do not have the proper documents.
And the problem is?
Once again, healthcare isn't free. Not even in societies with socialist healthcare systems.
"One of our patients (was) an 11-year-old boy was injured playing football," said Ohlson. "His mother did not dare to take him to the emergency ward. When we met him three months later, he could hardly walk.
Shame on his mother. Why would any parent put their child's health at risk by bringing them to a country where they would not have access to healthcare?
Another 1-year-old boy had problem with a testicle and needed surgery. The doctor wanted to help him, but the hospital had to charge for the surgery. Only after MSF repeatedly contacted the hospital did the boy finally get a surgical appointment."
You mean a hospital that provides a service actually wanted to charge a fee for its services? How scandalous.
Many of the children who come to MSF suffer psychologically from the stressful and insecure situation of hiding from the authorities. Two children even attempted suicide.
And still more shame falls on the parents.
"This is not about lack of willingness among the healthcare staff, many of whom themselves are frustrated with the current situation. It is primarily about a lack of clear directives and financial responsibility from the government. All children must have equal access to healthcare, regardless of their legal status.
Really, at whose expense? Does Sweden get to charge back the country of origin? When the EU implements that, I say go for it.
I feel ashamed of my country when I hear how some children have been treated," said Ohlson.
It's the parents you should be ashamed of dear Ohlson. They should take their children back to their homeland and take it up with their own goverment, on which the burden rightly falls.
Meanwhile, when can the U.S. send Mexico a bill for all of their citizens we keep in good health? Or will we continue to ignore the problem until we're sucked dry and the U.S. becomes as undesireable as Mexico and we all have nowhere to escape to...?
I'm sure there'll be a few who will argue I'm insensitve or that I don't care about the welfare of children. That's absolutely not true, but the fact is, like it or not, that healthcare is a commodity and in fact no one is entitled to it at all, let alone for free. It is a luxury--and we are quite fortunate to have access to it. Even more fortunate there are still those who research the science and train to treat medical conditions. We are not, however, entitled to force anyone to provide it to us.
After we force the healthcare industry and healthcare providers to provide services for free, who's next?
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