“A full medical card” is being provided by the HSE for Ukrainian refugees and international protection applicants, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said.
Speaking in the Dáil today, Donnelly said that since the start of the war in Ukraine, “the government has responded with a wide range of measures,” including various healthcare supports.
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The Minister said that the Department of Health and the HSE had been “at the forefront in the provision of services for all eligible arrivals,” and had developed a “Refugee and Migrant Health Model” to “address the unmet needs” of 132,000 new arrivals from abroad.
“Government is providing €50 million in 2024 to develop the HSE Refugee and Migrant Health Model, which includes the provision of medical cards for eligible arrivals,” he said.
He added: “…A full medical card is provided for Ukrainian refugees and for people who register as international protection applicants.”
The Minister added that “it’s worth pointing out” that Ukrainians seeking asylum in Ireland are “predominantly women and children,” and “only a small proportion are presenting with significant health needs.”
He also said that “special GP clinics” were being provided to respond to “capacity challenges,” which he said had resulted from “significant increases in demands for services.”
“I’m acutely aware that there are communities around Ireland who need better access to health services, be it home care, GP community services, or hospital based services,” he said.
“And in response to this general need, the government is involved in the biggest expansion of our healthcare services in a very, very long time.
“It includes a national program of primary care centres around the country. It includes an entire new community-based healthcare service. It includes more than 1100 new hospital beds, more than 26,000 more healthcare professionals, and a lot more.”
He added: “So where we have specific bespoke services for those arriving into the country, we are in the middle of a massive expansion of our health care services anyway to address demand across the country.”