Care in crisis shelter for asylum seekers falls short: health risks ‘urgent’ | Interior

Asylum seekers in emergency shelters run serious risks due to a lack of good health care and poor living conditions. Now that they are staying in the shelter longer than intended, the risks to their health are ‘urgent’. This is written by the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ).

After visits to nine crisis emergency reception locations, the Inspectorate finds ‘significant shortcomings’. Public health is at great risk, for example when infected with infectious diseases or when children do not receive the normal vaccinations. That risk is increased by the design of locations and poor hygiene, for example due to dirty sanitary facilities.

Only emergency medical assistance is available at crisis emergency reception locations, according to the inspectorate. Asylum seekers also do not receive a medical intake. Diabetes patients therefore have to wait longer for help. They are also not screened for tuberculosis (TB), with the risk of an outbreak of scabies in the emergency shelter.

No view of children

Youth health care does not have a picture of many children of asylum seekers. As a result, they also do not receive vaccinations against mumps, measles, rubella, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and polio.

There are also people with psychological problems, because referral to mental health care (ggz) is not possible from the crisis emergency shelter, except in the case of acute problems. The poor living conditions and long-term uncertainty also cause extra mental pressure.

Utmost

According to the inspectorate, ‘enthusiastic employees’ do their ‘outmost best’ to limit risks and provide decent care. “But the locations are simply not suitable for reception that lasts longer than a week. While many residents have been living there for more than half a year now.

Locations for crisis emergency reception are arranged by municipalities, because the regular asylum seekers centers and the emergency reception locations of the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) are full.

ttn-42