Dr Ahamd Khalid Zurmati MD

Refugees Healthcare Services Through Comprehensive Primary Health Care Dr Ahamd Khalid Zurmati MD

This technical report prepared based on reporting on inputs, outputs, outcome and the process of the Project Ponton. This report presents an overview of the past activities and main results of the "Project Ponton" which was aimed to cope with the health needs of asylum seekers in the city of Ghent in Belgium. The main objectives were to take care of newcomers' health as a basic of their human rights through comprehensive healthcare delivery. Implementing the real Comprehensive Primary Healthcare (CPHC) model in a temporary asylum seekers center isn't an easy job. Consequently by building a consortium alike "Ponton consortium" which was comprised of the majority required stakeholders of a CPHC, we were able to play as a CPHC in real in an inappropriate infrastructure. the multidisciplinary team of family doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and psychologists were recruited among local care providers, acquainted with the local health care system and committed to deliver the best possible care to those people in need. This local embedment greatly facilitated collaboration with and referral to local health care organizations. The Ponton experience bears witness that local family doctors are very well positioned to coordinate the care for refugees and asylum-seekers. The perspective of family medicine is indispensable for adjusting health care systems to respond to the changed health needs concurring with the current migration crisis. The Key factors for success were staff professionalism and commitment, respect and admire psycho-socio-cultural aspects of individuals, and an active multi-sectoral collaboration.