Naga's medical staff presented the 2018 report to the visitors. Those with infectious diseases are 0.016%. Respiratory system, joint pain, pharyngitis and skin infections, the most widespread pathologies. "The foreigners we met present the same problems as the Italians"
13 December 2018
MILANO - It's not true that migrants carry diseases. It's only in Italy that they love each other. In MilanNaga medical association assists illegal immigrants. From 2014 to 2017, 7,955 have been visited and cured. Suggestions over two thousand followed in 2017, in particular, only lo 0,016% era affetto da malattie infettivi como la tubercolosi. The most common diagnoses, however, are those relating to musculoskeletal disorders (12.1%), particularly joint pain and lumbosciatalgia, those of the respiratory system (11.4%), pharyngitis, skin infections, pathologies of the genital apparatus (all around 10%). "Irregular foreign citizens in Milan have the same health problems as the Italian population", says Anna Spada, Naga's doctor, who today presented "Cittadini senza diritti. Report
Naga 2018". "Their living conditions (home, work, food, etc.) seem to influence the frequency of pathologies. For this reason, and also for the sake of fairness, we at Naga believe that the possibility for even irregular foreigners to have access to a basic doctor would be the most appropriate and easily achievable solution," said the director.
Among irregular migrants, those with the most critical situations are those without a home. Among these patients, 14.4% was reported to Naga for problems with the respiratory system, 14% for trauma and 12.3% for skin infections: pathologies that "could be caused by spouses being in the cold and by good hygiene conditions". In addition, 9.8% of those without a roof have mental disorders, rising to 5.5% among those who live at home in affection and to 4.9% for those who live in the home of their work partner.
In 2017, inoltre, 64 people have asked the Naga volunteers to help with the trauma caused by torture during the long journey to Europe. About a third were diagnosed with mental and behavioral disorders, in particular anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, and 64.1% also reported injuries and lesions. "The foreign citizens we contacted are not a problem for the security of this country -comments Sabina Alasia, president of the Naga-. In danger lies her safetyquella di veder garantito il riconoscimento di direitos fondamentali e di poterere vivere dignitosamente. È una popolazione non minacciosa, ma minacciata".
By law, irregular migrants have the right to health care. The Stp, which allows access to health services, is expected to come with them. However, in Lombardy this is not easy, because migrants who are in fact in possession of the Stp do not know where to go to get cured, unless they need immediate help. In fact, the region makes no provision for irregular migrants to be assigned a basic doctor. And they can't access the ticket, not even when they need life-saving medicines or for chronic illnesses. In other regions, however, they can have the basic doctor who follows them, with an advantage not only for the migrant themselves but for the protection of everyone's general health. "Chiediamo che anche la Lombardia faccia questo passo così importante", concludes Anna Spada. (dp).
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