Local, national and international care givers to refugees and migrants met in Louis Trichardt last week.

Issues of mutual concern regarding the situation of a large number of destitute Zimbabwean and other foreign nationals moving through Louis Trichardt were discussed.

The meeting was chaired by Duncan Breen, advocacy officer of the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South

Africa (CoRMSA).

Amongst those who attended were representatives of the South African Red Cross, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Lawyers for Human Rights, the Jesuit Refugee Services and members of the local informal inter-denominational forum of caregivers.

Challenges were discussed in an effort to develop some joint ways forward.

CoRMSA supplied stakeholders with the Department of Health’s official policy details in connection with health care to refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. According to the official policy, these foreign nationals should be treated in exactly the same way as South African citizens, also with regard to the payment of fees.

This information was supplied after the group indicated that there have been a number of challenges in accessing health care at the Louis Trichardt Hospital and in terms of the fees being requested of asylum seekers.

The group will be meeting again on Wednesday, 10 March at 3pm. For further details, contact Father Frank Gallagher on 082 664 1393.