Responding to the Ukraine refugee health crisis in the EU

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) Vol. 399; no. 10341; pp. 2084 - 2086
• Main Author: Spiegel, Paul B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 04.06.2022; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Aggression; Communication; Community involvement; Community participation; Continuity of care; Coronaviruses; COVID-19 diagnostic tests; COVID-19 vaccines; Decision making; Disease; Emergencies; Health care; Health services; Humanitarianism; Maternal & child health; Mental health; Public health; Refugees; Risk communication; Poland; Afghanistan; Europe; Ukraine
• DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00841-8
• ISSN: 0140-6736

There is currently insufficient data to know if people are adequately accessing health services, including continuity of care for infectious and non-communicable diseases and essential maternal and child health services,5 such as vaccines and pregnancy-related care.6 Although access to health services for Ukrainian refugees is the same as for EU nationals, the rules vary by country, including those for co-payments, dental coverage, and mental health treatment. Furthermore, in many host countries there are an insufficient number of general practitioners, who are the gatekeepers to the health-care system.7 Unique workarounds, such as Ukrainian Medical Points, have been instituted in some countries to allow Ukrainian refugees to see nationally licensed Ukrainian health-care providers, but an examination of how health systems and financing need to adapt due to the refugee influx is needed. Mental health and psychosocial support, gender-based violence, and risk communication and community engagement are three essential and multisectoral issues whose importance was repeated throughout my missions in the region.6,9,10 The provision of adequate mental health and psychosocial support to the refugees will remain constrained due to insufficient numbers of existing national psychiatrists and psychologists, language issues, and implementation of policies that eventually allow Ukrainian refugee health-care workers to practise in EU countries.