Refugee Health Journey

Health care, midwifery services, reproductive health services, contraception, vaccination, psychological counseling and support:

Summary

The Independent Midwives Association (AMI) has provided support to refugees in accessing the Romanian health care system through registration with family doctors, appointments, facilitating interactions through translations for over 5,000 beneficiaries, with a number of 8,946 messages and calls to the call-center. 

The main goal of this project was to enhance healthcare access and to provide medical services, psychological support, and integration services to Ukrainian refugees in Romania. Furthermore, the project aimed to conduct advocacy activities to raise awareness of refugee's rights and healthcare system issues.

The project objectives focused on enhancing refugees’ access to healthcare with a focus on vulnerable groups, facilitating refugees’ integration and enrollment into the Romanian health and social systems, promoting reproductive health education, increasing collaboration with local authorities and other NGOs, raising awareness on healthcare system issues, and improving response.

Women and children from Ukraine were direct beneficiaries, with a focus on vulnerable categories such as women with small infants, pregnant, lactating, elderly women, persons with disabilities, Roma families, victims of domestic violence. Other target groups were NGOs partners, medical healthcare staff, members of public institutions, and the general public.

The main location was Bucharest and Ilfov county, but a national reach was also possible through partnerships, telemedicine, and transportation. 

RESULTS

Medical and Psychological Support

Healthcare System Navigation and Case Management

Health Education and Prevention Classes

Call Center

Meeting with authorities

Representatives from The National Institute for Public Health, Directorate for Public Health, The National Agency for Equality Between Men and Women, UNICEF, midwives, CORE and AMI teams discussed how the health system in Romania is failing both locals and Ukrainians, how the language barrier is impeding access, how doctors are reluctant to help refugees without translators and how the lack of public midwifery care affects sexual and reproductive health of both Romanians and Ukrainians living in Romania.

The Independent Midwives Association has proactively addressed this issue by offering a comprehensive range of medical and educational services through licensed midwives. These services include sexual health education aimed at preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, as well as addressing issues of abuse.

Additionally, we have provided prenatal monitoring and education, postpartum care for both mothers and newborns and initiatives to increase natural childbirth and breastfeeding rates. The promotion of vaccination and screening is also a critical component of our efforts to improve overall reproductive health outcomes.

Future Plans

Read what our colleagues are saying about their working:

Inna Plachynda (45 years old)
As a Community Development Facilitator at AMI, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience working with Ukrainian refugees. I have been participating in different projects and activities throughout the last 2 years and helping our beneficiaries to become more confident and independent in receiving the medical and other services here in Romania. AMI team was really helpful and made me feel welcome, confident and comfortable at my job position and in our team. The most enjoyable part of my work was supporting Ukrainians at Romexpo where I got to carry out breastfeeding and family doctor consultations. Emotionally it is not always easy to hear heartbreaking stories about lost houses, bombings and separation from the rest of the family. I was trying to ensure our beneficiaries were getting the necessary social support when they needed it as well. Hope we will continue to provide our services in future as still lots of Ukrainians rely on us.

Olena Krechetova (44 years old)
I have been working at AMI since July 2022 and in the call-center since September 2023. Working with people requires engagement, and in my experience, I have encountered various situations that require an unconventional approach. Indifferent individuals would not be able to work in this job, as many situations demand a personalized approach. Many people who came to Romania did not speak Romanian or English. The Romanian healthcare system differs from the Ukrainian one, and our task is not only to schedule appointments with the necessary doctors but also to explain the specifics of the Romanian system and help patients integrate. My job is not easy, but it is very interesting and important to me. I assist young mothers, pregnant women, elderly people, individuals with disabilities, and teenagers. My work covers all segments of the population. In the call center, I also utilize my psychological education to provide psychological support and assistance to those in need. I am happy to continue my work and support Ukrainians through the call center and psychological support services.

Aliona  Kolomitseva (46 years old)
I have been working with AMI since February 2023 as an interpreter, I made appointments for patients to medical specialists and investigations. Many vulnerable people came to us, people with disabilities, single mothers, retired people. I personally accompanied them to the doctors – for a person being in a foreign country, not speaking the language, it meant a lot. Some of the issues with the system is that it’s taking very long to get an appointment for specialist doctors – even a month before. Some appointments were delayed. To inform people on these issues, we have recorded 3 videos where we explained the procedure in the Romanian health system so that refugees can become autonomous and get appointments by themselves. This was helpful for the community. I wish for AMI to continue their activity; our beneficiaries need it a lot.

Find out some stories of Ukrainian refugees who have received our support in accessing the medical services they needed, scheduling appointments with specialized doctors, translations, legal assistance, information and counselling to access their rights.

Oxana M., a refugee from Ukraine, was involved in a car accident 250 km away from Bucharest, as a consequence of which she, her husband and their child were transported by ambulance to a hospital in Constanța... Read more.

O., who had recently given birth, became a victim of domestic violence. The first thing we did was to ensure that she and her baby were safe... Read more.

(EN) Press Release NGO: Two years after the Ukrainian war started, refugee women in Romania are still dependent on the support of civil organizations and have no other way to access vital medical services.