Migrante Alberta held a Migrants' Justice Forum -- Healthcare for All!
on November 15 as part of their active campaign for the right of all to
health care. Migrante Alberta pointed out, "While we are still in the
midst of the 4th wave of this global pandemic, many residents who do
not have immigration status still cannot
access health care. They are our neighbours and friends who are part of
the essential workforce." The campaign affirms that health care is a
right which belongs to everyone.
Healthcare for All! is calling for:
- barrier free access to vaccination, proof of vaccination and treatment for COVID-19;
- expansion of barrier-free access including for pregnancy and tertiary care;
- universal coverage regardless of status, with no waiting periods;
- support for community-based migrant-responsive health
care; and
- permanent residency upon arrival.
Even the provision of health care for COVID-19 testing, vaccination,
and treatment in Alberta is inconsistent, irrational, and inhumane,
while undocumented workers cannot access public health care for
non-COVID health issues. Until recently a valid health care card was
required in order to book a COVID-19 vaccination. In response, Migrante
and other organizations worked with physicians to operate safe clinics
for migrant workers to get vaccinated. While anyone can now access
vaccination at an Alberta Health Services (AHS) site, this is not well
known and messaging continues to state that people need to bring their
health care card. Pharmacies will not provide vaccination to people
without a valid health care card, even though this is the only place to
access vaccine in many rural communities. People without a valid health
care card cannot get a COVID-19 test from an AHS site and must get
tested privately and pay the costs themselves. Even when undocumented
workers are able to get vaccinated, they cannot obtain the QR
code needed to access non-essential businesses and other venues.
.
Sandra
Azocar of Friends of Medicare explained that the Kenney government
created an even more precarious situation by removing provisions which
allowed physicians to make good faith claims for patients who could not
provide ID or a valid health care card. As of
March 31, 2020, Alberta Health no longer makes any payment for services
rendered in a doctor's office or hospital without a valid Alberta
health insurance card.
In the midst of a pandemic, the Canada Border Services Agency has
resumed deportation of undocumented workers. The concern that
information may be shared with the Canadian Border Services Agency is
another barrier to accessing health care. There are also reports that
many migrant workers in rural areas have not been informed that they
can get vaccinated.
In
Alberta, migrant workers who have fallen out of status during the
pandemic are only eligible for an extension of their health care for
six months, despite Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
acknowledging significant processing delays. Anyone whose application
to stay in Canada has been rejected is ineligible.
Governments which bring into being and perpetuate such brutal
systems and show such indifference to the very lives of people on the
basis of their immigration status are unfit to rule.
Rights must be
affirmed and guaranteed wherever people are, not just where they were
born. Migrant workers who have lost their status must be
immediately given full access to health care, as well as immediate
regularization. To date, not a single one of the parties in the
parliament have responded to the needs of migrant workers or supported
regularization and status for all.
Undocumented workers have real and legitimate claims on society as
human beings, and because of their contribution to the society. They
are "essential workers" as we have seen in Canada during the pandemic.
They are speaking out in their own name and smashing the silence,
laying claim to what belongs to them by virtue of being human.
They are contributing to the fight for the rights of all and to bring
into being societies which uphold the rights of all.
This article was published in
December 1, 2021 - No. 114
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2021/Articles/WO081142.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
