‘ Vulnerable migrants and wellbeing study ’ highlights barriers to healthcare for migrants
A pilot study by the University of Birmingham has identified major barriers to healthcare access for migrants, including denial of entitlements, administrative issues, lack of understanding, language barriers and fears of being arrested. Funded by the Nuffield Foundation, the ‘Vulnerable migrants and wellbeing’ pilot study, is led by Dr Laurence Lessard-Phillips from the Institute for Research into Superdiversity (IRiS).
The team investigated gaps in knowledge regarding the relationship between vulnerability and wellbeing, by analysing six years of data provided by Doctors of the World UK , a registered cha...
Source: Doctors of the World News - February 6, 2019 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
Cancer treatments: we must serve patients, not private interests
Dr Françoise Sivignon, President of Doctors of the World, France.
The number of new cases of cancer continues to rise, reaching 3.7 million a year in Europe. Behind this increase lies another equally worrying trend: the rising costs of new treatments. It is no longer unusual to see cancer treatments costing between €50,000 and €90,000 per patient, per year. Worse still, prices reached new heights a few months ago, with the introduction of CAR-T therapies, billed at between €300,000 and €350,000 per patient.
Given this situation, healthcare systems are finding it increasingly difficult to ensure every...
Source: Doctors of the World News - February 4, 2019 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
The situation worsens in Borno, Nigeria
Civilians in Borno state, North-East Nigeria, are suffering greatly due to conflict and violence. 250,000 children, women, and men are already displaced across the region. Following recent attacks by Boko Haram, an estimated further 80,000 people have been uprooted. 30,000 fled last weekend alone.
Charles Kiplangat, Emergency Response Coordinator in Nigeria, reports on the latest developments:
“In Maiduguri, the Teachers’ Village Camp registered over 29,125 newly displaced persons. More than 6,714 are in need of shelter”
The situation in the camp is dire: its capacity is 10,000 p...
Source: Doctors of the World News - January 30, 2019 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
A forest in Morocco
There is a forest in Morocco, extending between Tangier and Tetouan. Few people are aware of its existence. Like its oaks and cedars, the refugees and migrants that live among them also remain invisible.
In 2018, Doctors of the World received funding from the Migration Emergency Response Fund (MERF) to support a project for refugees and migrants in the area. We intervened to improve living conditions and access to basic services for the most vulnerable surviving in the forest and urban camps.
This meant distributing kits for the winter to prevent infectious and respiratory diseases and improving protection, p...
Source: Doctors of the World News - January 25, 2019 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
Mona and Samir, a new chance
In August 2014, ISIS attacked the Iraqi town of Sinjar, targeting the Yezidi community. They executed men and abducted thousands women and children. Mona and Samir, a mother and son. were amongst them. Soon, 8 year-old Samir was separated from his mother.
Mona was sold as a slave in Mosul, and subjected to two years of physical, sexual, and emotional violence before her relatives found her and paid for her freedom. To protect her, they took her to Chamesku camp in northern Iraq.
When we first met her, Mona was distressed and traumatised from her experiences and suffered horrible nightmares and flashbacks. She...
Source: Doctors of the World News - January 11, 2019 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
Gul, 63 – Testimony of Rohingya
As soon as she started talking, tears came to her eyes. If it is too painful, if it brings bad memories to you, you do not have to talk. When I told her these words, she said she wanted to talk, she wanted to bear witness. She works as a TBA (Traditional Birth Attendant) for an INGO. As a Rohingya woman she has less opportunities to go outside than men, but she has a strong will.
In her own words she explained what the Rohingya Identity is.
Everyone got scattered on that day. I do not know where my family is. I ran away with my neighbours to Bangladesh. And, Ah, my son and father-in-law were killed by the army and ...
Source: Doctors of the World News - January 1, 2019 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
Ali 43, Shobeer 30, Dil 63 -Testimony of Rohingya
Three men. As we were discussing how Rohingya people had been deprived of their identity, their calm and gentle expression changed completely. They started to get very talkative and everyone was talking at the same time.
About half a month after listening to their story, there was a demonstration aiming to put the name Rohingya on the ID issued for the camp. “Rohingya people”. The name is now denied by both Bangladesh and the international community. Demonstrations are manifestations of their anger.
Ali, 43
I am grateful to the government of Bangladesh. Nobody was there to help those who helped me when I first ...
Source: Doctors of the World News - December 31, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
Husson, 30 – Testimony of Rohingya
On his way to Bangladesh, Husson saw a crying boy whose parents had just been killed. He looked after the boy with his family all the way to Bangladesh. The boy is said to have become an important member of the family now. It is hard to believe that Husson has faced such unimaginable violence and persecution. But occasionally, angry feelings mix up with his tranquil appearance and gentle talk.
I have been working as a volunteer for Doctors of the World since January this year. Now, what we need in the camp here is a school, as education for children is particularly necessary. There are places to play and study where...
Source: Doctors of the World News - December 30, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
Shamshu, 25 – Testimony of Rohingya
A divorced woman who lives alone risks much more to live in harsh poverty than one in a household where a man lives.
When asked: “What do you need?” She replied: “I have nothing at all, I need everything”. Generally, Rohingya women rarely go outside on their own and do not talk to strangers. Hence, it is hard for supporting services to reach women’s only families. Shamshu has been traumatized, she is anxious and alone. Everything she says is negative, it gives me the sad impression that she has giving up on life.
I came here a year ago. What I am having most troubles with in my life now is food and clothes...
Source: Doctors of the World News - December 29, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
Muhammad, 11 – Testimony of Rohingya
While listening to the story of an 11-year-old boy who never showed a smile, I wondered if he was at the age when a teen’s voice changes, as his voice sounded hoarse. To questions, he would spend time thinking before answering. His father was shot dead in front of him, and the boy himself had to shoot bullets before escaping and running away to Bangladesh.
In what state of mind did he cross the river and the mountains?
At the camp he looks after his 6 young brothers, because there are no more adult men in his family. The shelter where they live is nothing more than that of other families, they live in extreme poverty, ...
Source: Doctors of the World News - December 28, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
Jahida, 17 – Testimony of Rohingya
It is said that half of the camps refugees are children. Minors who lost their parents and families or got lost. She is 17 years old, and still has a little girls’ voice. To the question: What kind of job would like to do? She answers joyfully: “I would want to work in any kind of field, as long as the opportunity presents itself I would do anything. But I really like clothes so if it could be possible I would like to work with clothes”
I arrived in Bangladesh in December 2017. My father died before August 25, 2017 and my mother was killed during the riots last August. I do not know who killed her, at that tim...
Source: Doctors of the World News - December 27, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
Testimony of Rohingya
On August 25, 2017, Myanmar Army conducted violent raids in Rakhine State (Western Myanmar).
The number of people who fled to Bangladesh exceeded 700,000, crossing the border from Western Rakhine State, where Rohingya live, to Bangladesh. 700,000 people escaped a large-scale sweeping operation to save their lives.
They became refugees, leaving behind their past and present life, for a future that is mostly uncertain. Girls never talk about their future dreams, they do not even grasp the meaning of the question. Women who underwent big trauma are still frightened. Men tormented because they cannot protect their famil...
Source: Doctors of the World News - December 26, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
Medical establishment joins together against harmful NHS charging policy
Following a string of media reports revealing the harm caused by NHS charging to Doctors of the World patients and others, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) have today joined together to call for a suspension of the charging regulations pending an independent review.
In doing so, they’ve joined other voices, including the British Medical Association Council Chair, Dr Chaand Nagpaul and Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, who have recently...
Source: Doctors of the World News - December 20, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
Amending, suspending, unending
Sharing patient data and the journey of the MoU
Ella Johnson is Doctors of the World’s UK Policy and Advocacy Officer.
In early 2017 a journalist submitted a Freedom of Information Request (FOI) asking for clarity on data-sharing practices between the Home Office and the NHS. The FOI revealed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that described a channel of communication between the Department of Health – responsible for the health of individuals and the wider public – and the Home Office – responsible for identifying and deporting people living in the UK who find themselves undocumented. Without ...
Source: Doctors of the World News - December 20, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
Amending, suspending, unending – sharing patient data and the journey of the MoU
Ella Johnson is Doctors of the World’s UK Policy and Advocacy Officer.
In early 2017 a journalist submitted a Freedom of Information Request (FOI) asking for clarity on data-sharing practices between the Home Office and the NHS. The FOI revealed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that described a channel of communication between the Department of Health – responsible for the health of individuals and the wider public – and the Home Office – responsible for identifying and deporting people living in the UK who find themselves undocumented. Without the knowledge or consent of doctors and nurses, the NHS ...
Source: Doctors of the World News - December 20, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Martina Villa Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news
