“No reporting” national campaign by civil society obtains official letter of the Home Ministry

Policy Response DateNovember 27, 2009 Country: Italy Address: Rome General Type: Institutional discrimination Racism and discrimination phenomena: Anti-migrant/xenophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Migrants, Refugees, Roma & Travelers, Asylum seekers Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Policing - law enforcement, Health and social protection

A national campaign "no reporting" has been launched by Medici Senza Frontiere, ASGI, Società Italiana Medicina delle Migrazioni and OISG after that the deliberation of security package (Law n.38, 23rd April 2009) has made more difficult for non-Italian citizens to access health services. The proposal which asks doctors to report patients who are undocumented generated a strong reaction across the country. The campaign states that the Italian Constitution (Article 32) includes the right to sanitary treatments as a universal right, for all human beings, regardless of their legal status. Following pressure from civil society and associations, a representative of the Home Ministry has sent an official letter to all public doctors stating that that public officials working in health centres have to respect their obligation not to report their patients, foreseen by Article 35 of the decree 286/98.

Source:

ENAR SHADOW REPORT 2009/2010 - Racism and Discrimination in Italy by Laura Di Pasquale - /resources/toolip/doc/2011/10/17/enar-italy-2009-2010.pdf

Divieto di segnalazione. Siamo medici e infermieri, non siamo spie -http://www.divietodisegnalazione.medicisenzafrontiere.it, Date of access 04.11.2011