ffiravrnej

ffitewarzyszenle
ffint'er"uvencji
ffiravrnej
Association for Legal Interveniion
ul. Siedmiogrodzka 5 lok.51
AT2A4 Warszawa
tpl./fax. (+ 48) 22 621 51 65
e-mail : biuro@interwencjaprawna.pl
www. i nterwe
n ej a
p:'awna.
p
i
WaLsaw, 09.10"2013
OPTNION,ABOUT MEDICAI,,rySVCHCILOGICAL ASSTSTANCE
F'OTT FORECED VIIGT{ANTS IN PCILAF{D
The Association for Legal Intervention (Stowarzyszenie Interwencji Prawnej * SIP) is a Polish watctri
dog organizatton whose mission is to strive for the observance of human rights and against unequal
treatment. In order to trigger change in the systems of law and social polfcies, rve take part in
conferences and consultations of iegal acts, as well as oomment on legal regulations, conduet
'!Ve
research, carry out monitoring and issue expert opinions.
also educate and provide infoimation"
SIP is mainly working in the field of legai assistance for rnigrants, i.e. asylurn seekers, rceognizedrefugees and people granted subsidiary protection in Poland. We also help our elients in everyday
contacts with the Folish community - authorities, hospitals, ernployers, etc.
We accompany our ciients as interpreters during their medicalipsychological visits so we are weil
'Vy'e
infbrrned abcut cument acoess and quality of medical assistance in Foland.
regret to have to
ceriify that althc*gh the medieal care for asylum seekers is free and reeognized refugeos or thcse
gr*nted subsidiary protection have exactly the sarne access to the publie healthcare as Folish citizens,
it is stili.rery difficuit fcr them to get the proper speeialized treatment timeiy.
The problem is that the public healthcare sysiem does not function well in Poland. Eecause of lack of'
money in the state's budget and bad organization patients have to wait for a very long timo for a
medicai consuitation witli a specialist and later on for partieular rnedieal fteatmerrt. This applies tc
both, Folish citizens as.weli as asylum seekers and refu,gees.
As for chiidren with cornplicated disabilities, due to serious financial limitations, it sornetimes takes
a couple of months to do ai1 the ftecessary examinations to give a final diagnosis and plan the
appropriate treatment. Then patients have to 'wait for a iong time tc start the treatment and to get ali
the necessary rehabiiitation procedures. The rehabilitation which might be covered from the stare
budget is not ftequent enough and on a basic ievetr, therefore can hardly ever lead to the expected
improvement cf tire patient's state. If parents cannot afford to pay for the additicnal rehabilitation
procedures in private meeiieal healtheare, their children mighr never obtain the access to the quaiity
treai"menl they need.
Both groups, Folish citizens and, mrgrants, arc affected, but it seems that forced migrants suffer even
rnore than citizens from tiris situation. They usuaily airive with manv serious diseases nevor treated
in their cotrntries of origin and they need tlte immediate and ccmplex treatment. Xn addition to this,
their living eonditions are usuaJly substandard, access to sociai housing for migrants being extreme}y
difficult and the social assistance, espeeially in its financial as-pect, very iirnited"
Misjq Sicwarzyszenia Interweitcji Prawnejjest dziatanie na rzecz osob dyskrynrinowanych lub zagrozonych
wykluczeniem spoiecznyrn poprzez udzielanie im pomocy pravunej i wsparcia integracyjnego
Association for Legal Intervention
ul. Siedmiogrodzka 5 lok' 51
En
OL-ZAA Warszawa
wencji
tel./fax.
$
a8| 22 621 51 65
e-mail : bir.lro@ interwencjaprawna'pl
Fra,vrnej
www.i nterwencjaPrawna.Pl
As for psychological assistance, there are very few psychologists _formed to lvork with people with
war traumu urJ they cannot cover all the needs. Many forced migrants affected by PTSD or
conditions. After the
depression cannot count on long and intensive psychotherapy in appropriate
in war
uryt,t- procedure the access to a psychologist speaking foreign languages and being specialist
trauma is hardlY
Po
ssible.
have consultations
Language barrier is another great problem. In hospitals, where asylum seekgrs
Few volunteers
wittipsyctriatrists or other spJcialisis there are no interpreters employed by thb state.
who heip as interpreters can cover only a slight percent of all the needs'
not get professional
There is a serious threat that foreigners who would be sent back to Poland would
medical treatment timely, let alone intensive rehabilitation or psychological assistance.
Fltowarzvs zenie
[! nterwencii
p rawnej
ul. Siedrniogrodzka 5 lok.5l
0l-204 Warszawa
the Board
of the Association
Legal Intervention
lu$ zagro2onych
Misjq Stowarzyszenia Interwencji Prawnei jest dzialanie na rzeczosdb dyskryminowanych
integracyjnego
iwsparcia
prawnej
pomocy
im
poprzez
udzielanie
wykluczeniem spotecznym