March was a busy month with regards to undocumented migrants and campaigning for the right to access health care.
Doctors of the World was one of several organisations who co-ordinated a hearing in the European Parliament (EP) on "Preventing Undocumented Women and Children from Accessing Health Care: Fostering Health Inequalities in Europe" last December.
European Parliament Resolution
As a consequence of the hearing on 8th March 2011 the EP adopted a Resolution on "Reducing health inequalities in the EU". It calls on member states to tackle health inequalities in accessing health care for undocumented migrants. The resolution is a significant step forward in ensuring equitable access to health care for all, with no discrimination linked to administrative status or financial resources. Read a report on the hearing details and the presentations of the speakers.
European Declaration of Health Professionals
On 22nd March 2011, the European Declaration of Health Professionals was presented to the European Parliament . The declaration calls for non-discriminatory access to health care, especially for undocumented migrants, and was signed by 141 health organisations, representing over 3,000,000 health professionals. Doctors of the World presented the doucment to the Hungarian presidency.
London MEP calls for a stop to "criminalising people for wanting to meet their basic needs"
Finally, on 29th March, London's Green MEP, Ms Jean Lambert, called on member states to "stop criminalising people for wanting to meet their basic needs." She was giving a keynote speech at the Jesuit Refugee Service conference in Brussels which focussed on the destitution of migrants in Europe.
Ms Lambert asserted: "Governments ought to understand the risks destitution poses to public policy. It is a pan-European problem, and we have to do something about it."
Click on the short film above for an overview on the public hearing in December with the key points by speakers and Members of the European Parliament on why access to health care should not be denied.
