Health care for refugees and asylum seekers

26 November 2004

Dzabrail is 17 years old. An asylum seeker from Chechnya, he became very ill but was unable to gain access to medical treatment. Following examination by medical staff at the UMCOR-funded Policlinic no. 8 in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, Dzabrail was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. Thanks to UMCOR, he received the appropriate medical treatment for his condition.

In a country with more than half a million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), the needs of the substantial refugee population are low priority. Thousands of people, who have fled repressive regimes and conflict, find they have few opportunities in Azerbaijan. They have extreme difficulties fulfilling even basic needs such as food, education and medical care.

UMCOR provides a variety of activities designed to assist asylum seekers and refugees in Azerbaijan including household support for refugee families, health education and assistance in cases of domestic violence as well as extensive health care services. In October 2004, UMCOR provided medical care for more than 1,000 asylum seekers and refugees from Chechnya, Afghanistan, Iran, India and Pakistan. The most frequent illnesses were vitamin deficiency, bronchitis / pneumonia, tonsillitis, malnutrition and colds. More than 150 patients were referred to specialist doctors and 55 cases were hospitalised, including Dzabrail. UMCOR also provides support in the areas of reproductive health, child health and tuberculosis screening.

Health care is vitally important for vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees in Azerbaijan. Thanks to funding from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the U.S. Department of State's Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM), UMCOR continues to provide free medical care and medicines to those in need.

The names in this article have been altered to protect the identity of those concerned.