Asylum seekers have the right to equal treatment and full equality regarding healthcare, compared to Italian citizens. Registration to National Health Service is compulsory and ensures the health card along with the general practitioner or the paediatrician for minors, outpatient and specialized treatments, as well as hospitalisations.
Legal sources: Art. 34 T.U. 286/98; Art. 27 D.lgs 251/2007; Art. 10 D.lgs 140/2005; Circolare del Ministero della Sanità n. 5 del 24/03/2000
Progetto Itaca medical staff’s purpose is to draft and share ad individual project of healthcare, to interact with National Health Service for the registration and the emission of the health card, with the subsequent exemption of the health cost for the first two months of domicile in the city of arrival as well as the selection of the general practitioner. The medical staff should support the operators of the reception facilities when is necessary to carry the asylum seekers in A&E (Accident and Emergency) or to the Emergency Medical Service (former Guardia medica). Just after the user’s arrival in the reception facility, the medical staff interacts with the local health administration unit (ATS former ASL) for the convocation to the PPD test, a screening to assess the presence of an infection due to the tuberculosis bacteria. It follows the screenings and therapies process when required, monitors the regular paediatric check-ups of children and manage the pharmacological supervision: it ensures that the users take drugs prescribed by the doctor. It interacts with clinics for the initiation of courses about sexual education for men and women and monitors the gynaecological check-ups, sonogram and birthing classes for pregnant women; it explains them Law 194/78 “for maternity protection and termination of pregnancy”.
