Quarantine Did not Prevent Refugees from Benefiting from Medical Services (HCP)

Among the 31% of refugees in Morocco suffering from chronic diseases, 62.8% had access to health services during the quarantine, according to a survey carried out by the High Commission for Planning (HCP).

This proportion varies from 56.2% among Central Africans to 70.7% among Ivorian nationals, passing by 59.8% among Syrians and 64.7% among Yemenis, said the HCP in this survey on the impact of Covid-19 on the socioeconomic and psychological situation of refugees in Morocco.

The survey, carried out in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), also noted that among the 36.6% of refugees suffering from temporary illnesses, 73.8% had access to health services, 71,8% among households headed by a man and 80.4% among those headed by a woman.

The share of refugee households with children to be vaccinated represents 10%, the same source indicated, noting that about 70% of them have received vaccination services, 67% among households headed by a man and 77,6% among those headed by a woman.

The same survey also shows that among the 5.9% of refugee households with women eligible for prenatal and postnatal consultation services, 71.2% were able to benefit from these services during the lockdown.

The share of refugee households concerned with reproductive health is 5.2%. About 60% of them used these health services during the lockdown, it said.

35.1% of refugees suffering from chronic diseases have not benefited from health services due to lack of money and 23.7% for fear of Covid-19 infection, explained the HCP.

Almost 3 out of 10 refugees (29.3%) had access to essential drugs provided free of charge as part of a medical care program linking the UNHCR and its partners from civil society. Ivorian national are more likely to benefit from this service with 38.7%, followed by Syrians (33.5%), Yemenis (32.6%), Central Africans (25.8%) and nationals from South Sudan (8.5%).