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Thousands of Asylum Seekers at Risk of Contracting The Corona Virus

The Ministry’s website offers no information in Tigrine, French or Amharic. There is concern that the Ministry is not prepared for infections among foreign nationals living in Israel.

Photo: Activestills
Photo: Activestills

The Ministry of Health does not provide information to foreign nationals living in Israel regarding the corona virus, exposing thousands of asylum seekers and status-less individuals who have no health insurance to the risk of infection. PHRI urged the Ministry of Health to make information accessible and provide solutions to individuals who are not covered by health insurance including refugees, asylum seekers, migrant workers, Palestinians living in Israel and other groups who do not speak the three official languages and have no health insurance.

We have recently contacted the Ministry of Health, requesting it to provide foreign nationals living in Israel with information about the corona virus in order to assuage fears. The responses we have received indicate that information about the symptoms and the measures required to fight the virus appear on the Ministry of Health website in Hebrew, English and Arabic only, and the Ministry of Health avoided saying whether or not the information has been made available in other languages as well, such as Tigrine, French and Amharic. PHRI was unable to locate information in other languages on the Ministry of Health website.

The ministry also ignored a long list of questions regarding its preparedness in terms of treatment for people living in Israel without health insurance.  It did not indicate whether ministry’s hotline would have interpreters to help guide status-less individuals who call the hotline if need be, nor did it provide information as to any plans to make information available to communities of foreign nationals. The ministry also provided no answers to our questions about who status-less individuals should contact in cases of suspected infection or about payment given that they are not covered by the national health insurance program and are not eligible for medical services.

While the corona virus makes no distinction between residents and non-residents, the Ministry of Health continues to evade responsibility for the health of asylum seekers and migrants living among us – even now, when public health is at stake and Israel’s entire population must be prepared for possible exposure and infection. We urge the Ministry of Health to consider the unique situation of status-less individuals living in Israel – particularly during these trying times, to take action to make information and guidance available to them in their respective languages, and address the special circumstances that can arise without insurance. The Ministry of Health must take action to ensure that lack of status and health insurance is not an obstacle to testing or proper treatment should the need arise.

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