Refugee week: Medical help for marginalised refugees in Egypt
Karim’s mother was overjoyed to find much-needed medical help for her young son.
Aisha* was worried about her 18-month-old son, Karim*. They were living in Cairo, over 1000 miles away from their home in Sudan – and Aisha didn’t know where to turn for medical help.
Aisha was relieved to discover a well-baby clinic in her neighbourhood, run by Refuge Egypt, that provided free healthcare for refugees. She expressed her concerns about Karim to the doctor at the clinic: “He can’t play. He won’t eat.”
Investigations revealed that Karim was malnourished, with iron-deficiency anaemia, low levels of Vitamin D and bowed legs due to rickets. He was immediately enrolled onto the clinic’s treatment programme, where he received medication, food parcels and regular check-ups. Aisha received counselling from the medical staff about how to feed her son with nutritious food that would help him grow.
By the end of the seven-month treatment programme, Karim was like a different child. Aisha said: “Now he can eat well and play as he should.” She is full of hope for the future, and is looking forward to Karim’s bowed legs being corrected by surgery so that he can live a full and active life.
Context:
Our partner, Refuge Egypt, provides quality medical care to the most marginalised refugees in Egypt who are excluded by the national health system. Although the law provides equal access, in reality refugees often struggle to access the public system due to language or cultural barriers, illiteracy, cost, or stigma. Refuge Egypt stands in this gap, providing culturally responsive medical care to the most vulnerable refugees.
*Names changed