Health care for Czech Romanies available - report

The Czech government will discuss the results of a project in which health care for Romanies was surveyed with the help of health-social assistants from September 2005 until August 31, 2007, said the Health Ministry . The project was based on the fact that health care for Romanies is just as available and of the same quality as for the majority society, but prevention, mainly vaccination and children’s regimen require a greater attention. The project was participated in by the Government Council for Romany Community Affairs.

It was paid from the European Social Fund and from the state budget. Seven out of 14 Czech regions joined it. The assistants actively looked for persons and groups whose health is threatened by a risky behaviour, insufficient information and unavailable care.

The assistants focused on aid to pregnant women and mothers after birth, they taught them a healthy lifestyle. They promoted child inoculation and preventative checks, discouraged youth from drug use and early parenthood. They also followed hygienic conditions in households and helped improve communication between parents and doctors.

Some 11,700 people claimed Romany nationality in the 2001 census. According to estimates, however, about 250,000 Romanies live in the 10 million Czech Republic, one third of them in ghettos. They mostly live on social benefits and children end up in special schools and they cannot acquire higher education.