SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE Nov. 27 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Experts in Family and Community Medicine and Paediatrics from various sectors of the Canarian Health Service, including the General Directorate of Public Health and the Primary Care management of Gran Canaria and Tenerife, have contributed to the composition of a chapter for the guide ‘Attention to migrant patients’, a recently released publication by the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (semFYC).
Specifically, Isabel Llorca, Ana Belén González, Thalía Gómez-Sánchez, Laura Delgado, Mercedes Mateos, Esher Hernández, and Abián Montesdeoca were responsible for authoring the chapter titled ‘Health care for recently arrived migrant patients after a voyage on an unseaworthy vessel’.
This segment outlines and assesses the various forms of assistance that health professionals in the Canary Islands provide during the moment of migrants’ arrival to the shores of the Canary Islands, should their situation necessitate it.
The referral pathways for this migrant demographic to the different healthcare services in accordance with their health condition are also detailed, alongside the training initiatives executed to refresh the knowledge and competencies of the health professionals responsible for their care, reports the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands in a statement.
This guide published by semFYC encompasses the actions that Primary Care professionals responsible for assisting migrants must undertake regularly to ensure quality health care tailored to the circumstances of these individuals.
In light of the rising number of migrants arriving in the Canary Islands in recent years, and to ensure proper health care for these individuals, the General Directorate of Assistance Programs of the SCS has formulated a series of protocols that govern and systematise this assistance.
Consequently, the Protocol for gynecological-obstetric care for pregnant and postpartum women during migration processes has been developed, a document aimed at ensuring and facilitating adequate and respectful initial health care provided to migrant pregnant and postpartum women from Africa.
This tool delineates the coordination channels among the various entities involved and standardises health interventions across the Archipelago to deliver optimal care to these women in vulnerable circumstances who are expecting or have recently given birth.
This document establishes shared guidelines in the area of care to provide a coordinated and agreed-upon response among all sectors engaged in the care of the group of migrant women.
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Additionally, the supplementary tests employed to screen for illnesses in these women are specified, and information pathways are designed and implemented to facilitate the continuity of health services for this at-risk population.
On another note, the SCS has the ‘Protocol for health care for migrant minors: Childhood on the move’, a document crafted by a multidisciplinary team of professionals under the coordination of the General Directorate of Assistance Programs, with the goal of establishing a reference framework for healthcare provided to these minors, whether accompanied or unaccompanied, regardless of their origin or immigration status.
The protocol offers a holistic and integrated approach, addressing the distinct needs of migrant minors at all stages, both upon their arrival and during their time in the archipelago.
This document also pays attention to the various physical and mental health requirements that this group faces, influenced by their experiences in their countries of origin, their migration journey, and the living conditions within the host community.
Furthermore, the protocol exemplifies the significance of implementing a biopsychosocial approach in healthcare, which considers the clinical and psychological elements alongside the social determinants of health.
