Inspection: asylum seekers in emergency shelters run major health risks

This shows serious shortcomings, so that not only the health of the asylum seeker himself is at stake, but also general public health, for example because there is a greater chance of infections with infectious diseases.

Not vaccinated

Toilets and bathrooms are difficult to keep clean in some emergency shelters, the inspection saw. As a result, a possible infectious disease can spread more easily. It is also dangerous if children in emergency shelters do not receive the normal vaccinations.

The IGJ visited nine crisis emergency shelter locations and saw that many children are not seen by youth health care. As a result, they miss vaccinations against, among other things, mumps, measles and rubella.

No TB screening

The crisis emergency reception locations are unsuitable for a stay longer than a week. But many asylum seekers have now been living there for more than six months, according to the IGJ. Meanwhile, medical assistance is only available in an emergency.

Furthermore, there is no screening for tuberculosis prior to placement in the emergency shelter. Asylum seekers often do not have an electronic patient file, which means that an overview of someone’s medical situation may be lacking.

Mental health problems

“People with psychological problems should not live in emergency shelters,” the IGJ emphasizes, “but they do.” It is not possible to refer asylum seekers to mental health care from a crisis emergency shelter, unless really acute problems arise.

Moreover, the uncertainty and living conditions in the emergency shelter can actually cause extra mental pressure. These vulnerable people must live in the crisis emergency shelter for as short a time as possible, says the IGJ.

Need improvement

Municipalities arrange crisis emergency shelter. This is because the regular asylum seekers centers and the emergency reception of the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) are full.

The IGJ wants the Ministry of Justice and Security, the COA, the GGDs and the municipalities to improve the situation in emergency shelters.

Council for Refugees: situation unsustainable

The Dutch Council for Refugees calls the conclusions of the IGJ ‘very recognizable’ and ‘an important wake-up call’, both for municipalities and for the Secretary of State for Asylum Eric van der Burg. “It doesn’t get any clearer: the way we currently receive refugees seriously damages their health,” the organization said.

He also thinks that permanent reception places should be created, because the way in which the Netherlands receives asylum seekers in temporary crisis emergency reception locations is ‘unsustainable’. Due to the temporary locations, there are currently no refugees spending the night outside in front of the entrance to the application center in Ter Apel. As a result, the lack of reception places has ‘become an invisible crisis’, according to the Council for Refugees.