The United Nations and the Council of Europe have called on European countries to seek the assistance of medical professionals, to support the efforts of the governments of the countries of the continent to combat the Corona virus pandemic, which placed great pressure on health systems in those countries.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Council of Europe - in a joint statement issued yesterday - indicated that they encourage countries to use what "these health professionals can provide refugees at this critical period", and the two bodies pointed to the presence of refugees and asylum seekers in Europe with the necessary skills and experience, And "they are ready to work and help."
The statement indicated that most health professions are subject to a strict licensing system for the practice of professions, and the Director of the UNHCR, Filippo Grandi, has stated that in recent weeks, several European countries have made a public appeal for the integration of refugee health practitioners into national response efforts against the Corona virus. Grande expressed his agency's support for these initiatives and hoped that it would include the European continent and other regions.
As anti-immigrant rhetoric increases in Europe and the United States, migrant doctors devote their lives to treating Corona patients (Covid-19) and highlight their vital role in these societies. pic.twitter.com/8FS8GvwBP5 - AJ + Arabic (@ajplusarabi) April 10, 2020 |
The French authorities have loosened restrictions in the past few years on the practice of foreign doctors, to strengthen their health system in the fight against the emerging Corona virus.
On the other hand, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe Maria Beginovich Poric - in the joint statement with the UNHCR - said that "the qualifications that refugees really possess, and without being able to prove them through documents, can be used and taken advantage of."
Qualified passports
According to the statement of UNHCR and the Council of Europe, “The passports of European qualifications for refugees that were launched in 2017 in Europe can help in creating a list of refugee health workers who have been assessed in advance, which will allow the authorities in each country to determine the best way to benefit from these refugees when needed.” .
Poric warned that the passports of European qualifications for refugees "are not a substitute for the required professional certificates and diplomas, but they are helping the authorities to speed things up."
Grandi: Several European countries recently launched a general appeal to integrate refugee health personnel in efforts to combat the Coruna virus (Anatolia) |
In a related context, the UNHCR website published yesterday two examples of the support provided by European-based refugees with medical expertise in the countries in which they currently live. Libyan refugee Muhammad, 39, was forced by the war in his country to flee to France in 2019 carrying his qualifications As a surgeon.
When the crisis of the Corona virus worsened in France, Mohamed immediately took the initiative to register in the Ministry of Health's emergency list to support hospital medical staff.
Somali refugee
As for the Somali refugee, Yassin, who fled his country years ago to French homes, he co-founded a non-governmental organization called the “Network of the Displaced in France” to help translate the documents for the benefit of asylum seekers.
When the Corona crisis came, Yassine, a doctor, contributed to translating documents that provide information for asylum seekers about quarantine in France, and advice on who to contact if someone feels ill.