In recent months, a diverse range of professionals from the public health system and third sector organizations are stating that in Catalonia, the regulations governing health care assistance to immigrants in irregular situations are being applied in an arbitrary manner, which is resulting in a lack of needed medical attention. It is difficult to quantify the number of cases, and to identify the mechanism producing them, due to many influential factors and large geographical dispersion.
In response to this situation, we created the Platform for Universal Health Care in Catalonia, which collects and assesses these cases, taking into account their unique issues and the regulations of the health system in each Autonomous Community.
Objectives of the Platform:
- To ensure that people’s right to health is respected, especially the rights of those groups with the greatest difficulties in accessing the public health system
- To give visibility to the cases in which bureaucratic obstacles hinder or prevent people without coverage from receiving care (undocumented immigrants and others who are no longer covered by the national Health System), or cases in which medical care is directly denied to those people
- To pressure authorities to require, develop and provide mechanisms that ensure medical care is provided in compliance with the law
- To raise awareness among professionals, organizations and citizens about the issue
How can we achieve our goals?
- Make a collection of cases in which people’s right to health is violated
- Put it to the attention of the government and the general public
- Report cases in which regulations are being violated
Declaration of the Platform for Universal Health Care in Catalonia
The undersigned companies and organizations want to show our opposition to Royal Decree-Law 16/2012, which clearly violates the right to health. In the case of Catalonia, We consider it essential for Catalonia to provide health care to a much broader part of the population than is covered by Royal Decree law 16/2012. With the passage of Instruction 10/2012, the Department of Health of Catalonia does not guarantee the right to health for the whole population, as it was established to do, and leaves part of the population with no or only partial access to the health system.
From our work within the health sector, we have seen how the implementation of this Instruction, which was pased on September 1, 2012, has resulted in multiples violations to the right to health in our region. We believe that health is a universal, inalienable right, and that our government must guarantee that all people without distinction be able to exercise it. For this reason, our platform aims ensure compliance with regulations that guarantee access, and to protect the right to universal access to Catalonia’s health system.
The entities of this platform fundamentally reject the changes to the healthcare system mandated by DecreeLaw 16/2012, and denounce that access to health in Catalonia should be linked to administrative approval, as indicated in Instruction 10/2012.
These are difficult times to guarantee social rights, and everyone’s strength is needed to fight against the policies that use the economic crisis to justify the creation of an increasingly unequal and unjust society.
Therefore, we demand:
Therefore, we demand:
- That the government of Spain repeal Royal Decree Law 16/2012, which clearly violates the right to health. When that occurs, that the government of Catalonia revoke Instruction 10/2012 of the Ministry of Health.
- That the government of Catalonia guarantee, in real and effective manner, the right of every individual to access health services, regardless of administrative situation. This means the repeal of the administrative measures of Instruction 10/2012 that prevent people from living in Catalonia from accessing free and universal health care.
- That the government of Catalonia ensures protection for those who are particularly vulnerable in society, as we believe that the Instruction does not adequately protect them.
- A local government that provides a mechanism for every person to be an officially registered resident
- That health professionals meet their Hippocratic oath, as updated by the Geneva Declaration, and therefore provide all medical resources and services necessary to those who need it
- That various organizations, entities and the population as a whole cooperate with us to create a unified citizenry that can protect our inalienable rights and require authorities to provide an environment to freely and safely exercise these rights
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