This May, we started our new project, which is funded by the foundation “Aktion Mensch” on “right to health for refugee women”. In our first Brandenburg-wide network meeting on 2nd and 3rd of June we gathered some topics that concerned all the women:
Why do we only get Pain Killers instead of good Treatment?
The „Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz“ was passed in 1993 to discourage asylum seekers from coming to or staying in Germany. It is racist and discriminating. According to this law only the treatment of acute diseases or pain is covered. For any further medical treatment one needs to individually apply at the Sozialamt. This means that unqualified people decide on our health! Even if the new health insurance card was introduced in some regions: For special treatment we still need the permission of the Sozialamt and the doctors don’t treat us as soon as they see that we are refugees.
How to get treatment if the Sozialamt doesn’t want to give the Krankenschein?
Fortunately there are organizations like „Medibüro“ in all regions of Germany who assist people who are denied treatment in getting it. You can ask your local counselor or find them on the internet: http:medibueros.m-bient.com
Pregnancy and Birth
Even according to “Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz” every woman has the right to see the gynacologist she chooses and to be assisted by a midwife during pregnancy and after giving birth. Every pregnant woman can decide on her own how she wants to give birth, but because doctors get extra money for every caesarian section, they sometimes do the surgery without explanation or even informing refugee women.
Children’s health
We know what’s best for our children so the doctors should listen to us without making a second interview about the legal stuff. Without the right documents (e.g. birth certificate), the children are often denied important vaccinations. This is not right because the children have the right to get what they need!