Refugee health workers  fight against COVID-19

Straggling  coronavirus pandemic European countries face the urgent need  in health professionals and medical workers. The help came from migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. As most health-related professions are tightly regulated in EU member states, majority of refugees and asylum seekers with the competences are not able to practice and fight the pandemic. 

The Council of Europe and UNHCR encouraged states to reach out to refugee communities and people with medical qualifications  and improve their access to national health systems.  One of such solutions useful to identify health specialist  is the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees. ECPR is a project launched in 2017 by the Council of Europe and involves partners from  Greece (the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs), Italy  (the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research, the Conference of University Rectors of Italy), Norway (the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research), Belgium  (the Government of Flanders) and qualification recognition centres in Armenia, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK. 

As InfoMigrants states more than 14,000 foreign doctors in Germany awaiting approval and registration for their qualifications. Lead by the Saxon authorities, some states in Germany appealed to migrant specialists. Knut Köhler, chief spokesperson for the State Chamber of Physicians of Saxony, said that 150 migrant doctors have already signed up. Saxony is a region where about 14% of doctors have migration background. 

The Ministry of Health on France has announced an emergency roster to support medical staff in hospitals. Refugee doctors joined the action. “I am ready to do anything to help. I can work in the emergency room in a hospital at any position. I can be an assistant nurse; I can help in giving information. For all these positions, it’s very important to have staff in hospitals who know how to deal with such a situation. You have to be very careful, even in carrying the garbage,” said Mohamed, refugee from Libya, in the interview to the UNHCR.  

The Ministry of Inclusion in Spain, Social Security and Migration, the Ministry of Universities, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Territorial Policy and Public Function initiated an action to increase the number of foreign health professionals, residing in the country, to carry out their work and join the fight against pandemic.  

Resources: 
Needed: Migrant medics to fight COVID-19 in Germany, [16.04.2020]. 
Refugees offer medical experience to help tackle coronavirus crisis in France, [14.04.2020]. 
European Qualifications Passport for Refugees
Germany calls on migrant medics to help tackle coronavirus, [14.04.2020]. 
Spain will hire 200 foreign health workers to fight the coronavirus, [27.03.2020].